Christos Teddy Freckles Pappas
by mad4tv
Summary: Originally just 'Chrudson' one-shots, this story has expanded to anything Chris related: past, present and future storylines concerning him and/or any of his love interests. I'd like the one-shots to be prompted by the readers but I'll probably write my own if the show inspires me, which it does!
1. Chapter 1

_Since the writers didn't write a first meeting scene for Chris and Hudson, I thought I would have a go. This is the story version (I converted it from the script that I wrote a while ago) of how I imagined that they met. This would have appeared in episode 6676 (aired 1__st__ July 2013). Only the plot and Chris' TAFE mates are my own invention; everything else is courtesy of Neighbours. _

**Chapter 1**

Chris was walking through the university campus with his TAFE mates, Alex, Jack and Sean. Jack – as usual- had his head in is phone. Sean poked him.

"Do you ever put that thing down?"

"Yeah, sounds great" Jack replied, clearly not paying attention. The other boys sniggered and shook their heads. Jack's eyes widened, "uh guys, I think we might have to scrap our plans for tonight, apparently a huge storm's gonna hit"

Alex rolled his eyes, "great" he said, sarcastically.

Behind them a voice broke in "I know, I wanted to fit another training session in as well!"

Jack spun around and grinned, "Hudson!" he exclaimed, "hey mate"

He pulled him into a hug. Chris watched, slightly confused. He took notice of this new guy: he was very attractive, dark hair, dark eyes and a muscular build. Chris shook his head, 'don't get ahead of yourself Pappas' he told himself.

His thoughts were interrupted by Jack who was still buzzing about his friend, "You remember Sean and Alex, right?"

Hudson chuckled and nodded, "how could I forget?" then shook their hands. He noticed Chris, who was still staring at him, both in confusion and interest "Hey" he said, smiling.

Hudson noted this stranger in front of him: he was very attractive with his dark messy hair, deep blue eyes and cute freckles.

"Hey" Chris responded then looked away nervously

"Oh Hudson, this is Chris- he's in our TAFE class. Chris, this is Hudson, an old mate of mine" Jack said.

Hudson pretended to be offended "'an old mate'?" he quoted.

Jack got defensive, "well I haven't seen you in years!" he turned to Chris, "Hudson and I used to live in the same street, we went through school together, but then he decided to be **different** when we left!"

Hudson shrugged, "Well I'm not interested in mechanics"

"Whoare**-**" Chris realised what he was about to say and corrected himself, "what are you interested in?"

Hudson grinned, realising Chris' near-mistake and replied, "Swimming"

Jack playfully punched Hudson's shoulder, "Yeah, Hudson's gonna be a world champion swimmer, aren't you?"

Hudson held up his fingers, which were crossed, "here's hoping!"

"Well we should drink to that" Sean said, "We have time before the storm, don't we?"

Jack checked his phone "Yeah. Are you guys up for it?"

They all nodded in agreement.

_Thanks for reading! There is one more part which I will upload soon. Please rate and review._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

At Charlie's the guys were sitting at a table having a laugh. Once all of their glasses were empty Hudson stood up.

"Another round?" he suggested

The others all agreed. Chris looked at Hudson, who smiled at him, before going to the counter. Jack and Alex noticed this and shared an amused look.

"You fancy him, don't you?" Jack stated

Chris quickly and obstinately denied it

"You couldn't be more obvious" Jack laughed

"It's irrelevant either way"

"Why?" Jack asked

"Because he's straight"

Jack and Alex grinned at each other and Sean raised his eyebrows

"Sure" Sean said quietly

"Isn't he?" Chris queried

"Why don't you ask him?" Alex suggested

"You can't **ask** someone that!" Chris argued

"Are you gay or straight?" Jack asked, casually

As if it was the most obvious thing in the world, Chris responded, "Gay"

"There you go- you can ask someone that!" Alex said, smugly

"You can't ask someone that you don't know" Chris objected, "I mean, if he's straight I've basically said to him 'I think you're gay' or 'I fancy you', which no straight guy is gonna want to hear."

"Okay then, your loss" Jack said, teasingly

Chris sighed. He suddenly remembered something that his ex, Aidan, had said to him before they got together: 'You don't know if you don't ask, right?' "You're right" Chris said, suddenly

"About what?" the others asked simultaneously

Chris stood up and joined Hudson at the counter. Hudson smiled when he saw him approach.

"Hey"

"Hey. I just thought I'd help you with the drinks. I mean, there's five of us and you've only got 2 hands- not like an Octopus which has eight-"

"Octopuses don't have hands" Hudson replied, amused.

"Yeah, I know" Chris babbled, "I mean, not some kind of multi-handed alien. I know you're not an alien, well if you are an alien you're a very human-like one" he gave up, "Do you know what? Just ignore me"

Hudson laughed, then glanced over at the table.

"Look, I know there's supposed to be a storm tonight but would you want to come back here later for another drink? Just the two of us?"

Chris looked intrigued, "are you asking me out?"

Hudson bit his lip, "depends. Are you gay or straight?"

"Gay" Chris responded confidently- he knew where this was going.

"Then yeah, I am"

"Sounds good"

They smiled at each other and Hudson passed him a small piece of paper.

"Here's my number" he said, looking at the paper

Chris looked bemused, "do you usually carry around a piece of paper with your number on it?"

Hudson shook his head, "no. I was planning on giving it to you at some point"

Chris smiled, and put the piece of paper in his pocket

"I'll text you later" he said, still smiling. Hudson nodded and collected the new drinks.


	3. Chapter 3

_Since the 1st July is the anniversary of Chris and Hudson's first date (and my birthday, just so you know), I thought that I would publish my one-shot of what we didn't see from their date._

**The First Date**

"_I've got a date tonight"_

Well, at least that's what he thought. Chris was standing underneath the pathetic excuse for a cover that Charlie's had. His mates were right about the storm: probably not the best night to go out. He wanted to go inside as soon as possible but felt as though he had to wait outside for his date to arrive.

"_He must be pretty keen if he wants to go out on a night like this"_

"_Hey, this is me we're talking about"_

Chris wished that he felt as confident now as he sounded then. He was shaking like a leaf and it didn't help that it was freezing. But mainly, he was worried that his date was a no-show. He might be running late, but Chris liked guys to be early. Just as Chris was about to give up and leave he saw a silhouette approaching rapidly. He felt his heart jump out of his chest as he realised it was Hudson running to meet him. They smiled at each other.

"Hey" Hudson panted, closing his umbrella, "I'm so sorry that I'm late. My coach called me just as I was about to leave. I didn't mean to leave you waiting, and I didn't expect you to be waiting outside for me in this weather"

Chris nodded in understanding; he knew what coaches were like. His friend, Amber was dating a swimmer whose coach was really fierce and was against them being in a relationship. He hoped that Hudson's coach was less stringent. Chris opened his mouth to tell him 'no worries' but the only sound that erupted from his mouth was a gurgling sound. He blushed crimson and Hudson raised an eyebrow, smiling.

"So, should we go in? I'm freezing!"

Chris nodded and hung his head slightly out of embarrassment.

xxx

"So close!" Chris groaned as his last dart landed only millimetres away from the bullseye. When he turned around he realised that Hudson wasn't paying attention. Instead he was looking at his phone. Chris sighed

"It's ok"

Hudson looked up, surprised. Chris looked at the mobile

"The escape call. Knew it would happen sooner or later"

Hudson looked shocked and shook his head fervently

"No, that's not what it was, I was just-"

"Look, it's fine. If you want to go- if you're not interested- then just tell me. Don't pretend. I'm not gonna force you to stick around when you're clearly not into this-"

"No, Chris. I wasn't waiting for an escape call, I was checking the text that I got from my coach telling me what time my training session is tomorrow morning" Hudson explained

Chris realised and blushed. He remembered Hudson mentioning a training session earlier that day.

"Sorry" Chris murmured

"It's ok. I get why you'd think that. I've had plenty of guys bail on me"

"Really?" Chris asked, amazed, "I can't imagine anyone ever bailing on **you**", he blushed even more and Hudson smiled.

"Thanks. It has happened. **I** wouldn't do that to anyone though; even if I hated their guts I'd still stick around until the end"

"Seriously?" Chris asked, surprised. Hudson nodded so Chris thought to himself, "well what if you were just sitting opposite each other in an awkward silence for hours? Wouldn't you try to get out of it then?"

"I'd probably consider it, but I wouldn't actually do it"

"Then you are a better man than I" Chris responded

"I doubt that" Hudson scoffed

Chris smiled and took the darts off the board. A thought occurred to him and he turned to face Hudson, who wasn't on his phone this time.

"Wait" he began, "You said that you'd stick around for a whole date no matter what, right?"

"Right" Hudson nodded

"Well then how would I know whether you actually liked me or not if you stick around to the end of **every **date?"

"Well" Hudson began, approaching him, "I'd show you…"

Chris looked into Hudson's deep brown eyes and held his gaze, biting his lip.

"…How good I am at darts" he finished teasingly, taking the darts from Chris' hand.

Chris chuckled and stepped back to allow him to have a turn, slightly disappointed.

xxx

_"So, who's the swimmer?"_

_"This guy named Josh Willis"_

* * *

Chris gulped down the rest of his beer as though no liquid had passed his lips in months. Hudson noticed this and raised an eyebrow

"Easy there" he chuckled

Chris slammed the empty glass down more violently than he had planned. Hudson looked worried

"Did I say something wrong?"

Chris shook his head and wiped his mouth, "no"

"Then why did you act like I just told you that Neil Patrick Harris is actually straight?"

Chris let out a laugh

"Look, I know that talking about my swimming isn't exactly the ideal conversation for a first date-"

"No, that's not the problem" Chris reassured him, unconvincingly

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Come on" Hudson retorted, "we may have only just met, but I know when you're lying"

Chris looked worried, then a lightbulb flashed above his head

"Well I was just thinking that you must be having a really bad time if you've resorted to talking about this Josh Willis guy just to make conversation"

Hudson looked relieved and Chris exhaled

"No, I'm actually having a good time" he told Chris, "I'm sorry that I'm going on about my swimming, it probably makes me sound like a whinger. I just... feel like I can talk to you, you know?"

Chris smiled, bashfully

xxx

The rain had subsided, suggesting that the storm was over. Nonetheless, Chris and Hudson were hesitant when they exited Charlie's, just in case the rain decided to attack them again. They faced each other and stood awkwardly, though Chris was feeling awkward for a different reason. Hudson was the first person to break the silence

"So, ummm, I had a good time tonight"

Chris nodded, smiling slightly

"Yeah, me too" then paused, "wait, do you mean it or did you have an awful time and are just saying that?"

Hudson laughed, "No, it's actually true"

"Good"

"Maybe we can do it again soon?" Hudson suggested

"I'd like that" he responded, and he meant it. However, he knew that he was already keeping a secret from Hudson. 'Great way to start a potential relationship, Pappas' he silently told himself.

They found themselves in another awkward silence; this time debating how they were going to end the date. They both knew that a handshake would be too formal and a hug would be too brotherly, but they definitely didn't know each other well enough to have a make-out session (as much as they both would have liked to). Instead they settled for a quick peck on the cheek. Both of their faces turned as pink as salmon and they grinned sheepishly at each other.

"So, uh, I'll see you around" Hudson said

"Yeah" was all that Chris managed to utter in response.

He watched with slight regret as Hudson put his hands in his pockets and walked away. Chris was caught in his own moral conflict, and needed to figure out what to do...


	4. Chapter 4

_Since the 24__th__ of July is the anniversary of Chris and Hudson's first kiss, I thought that I would upload my one-shot of what happened afterwards…_

**Continuation of the first kiss**

"_You know, in my mind, I was the one __who was gonna have to initiate that"_

Chris chuckled, partly because of what Hudson had said, but mainly because of how cute he sounded as he said it. Chris passed him the salad bowls.

"_Well, we can workshop that around the Barbie, hmm?"_

Hudson grinned- he liked the sound of that! He felt Chris smack his hip gently to prompt him to move into the garden and was slightly disappointed that he didn't slap him somewhere else…

Hudson headed into the garden, sharing a glance with Chris. They both smiled and as Hudson walked out, Chris nodded to himself before following.

* * *

Hudson stopped as though he had been shot as soon as he saw the garden. He had never seen it before though he had glanced out of the kitchen window earlier that day. He took in the huge yard with finely cut grass, a beautiful veggie patch and, most importantly, a hot tub. Hudson's heart did a summersault. It wasn't because he liked water- he spent enough time in it every day- but he would soon get the opportunity to see Chris with his kit off. Hudson shook his head, 'slow down' he thought to himself, 'not today'.

Chris noticed Hudson was just standing, gazing at the garden. He followed Hudson's line of sight and realised that he was staring at the hot tub. Chris grinned, thinking exactly the same as Hudson was, though he obviously didn't know it.

Hudson sensed that someone was behind him, so he spun around then blushed. He hurried over to the table and put the salad bowls down whilst Chris turned on the BBQ.

"This is a nice garden" Hudson said casually, whilst mentally cringing at his choice of conversation

"Thanks. It's Sheila's pride and joy"

Hudson had never met Sheila, though he knew that she was Kyle's gran.

"Why is it so big? I thought there were only four of you living here"

"Well there are but with Sheila's gardening and Kyle's dog, it helps to have the space"

Hudson nodded, trying to come up with a better topic of conversation. Luckily Chris got there first.

"Now, food time!" Chris said gleefully, rubbing his hands together

"Wait" Hudson stopped him, "I thought you were on dinner duty. Where is everyone else?"

Chris looked sheepish, "yeah, actually I just said that as an excuse to use the food that you brought over. I made sure everyone else was out tonight"

Hudson grinned to himself happily.

xxx

"Wow" Hudson murmured, staring at Chris who had just finished wolfing down his burger; this was after consuming two hot-dogs as well.

"What?" Chris asked, mouth still full

Hudson sighed, "how it is possible that someone who eats like a horse can look that… well, I'll use the same term you used on our first date: 'fit'?"

Chris blushed, "I'm not"

Hudson grinned smugly, "You're cute when you blush"

"I'm not blushing" Chris objected, looking away

"You can't exactly deny it when you look like this tomato" Hudson said, picking out a tomato from the salad bowl and holding it in his fingers. Chris grinned and opened his mouth then pointed to it. Hudson squinted one eye and took aim.

He threw it straight into Chris' mouth and he caught it between his teeth then gulped it down. They stood up and hi-fived each other, triumphantly.

xxx

"Oh great" Chris groaned

Hudson blinked, startled. He had just been staring at Chris for the last few moments and had been busy fantasizing about… well, you know. He looked around, then realised what Chris was annoyed about: the rain had begun plummeting down. Chris stood up

"Could you take the plates and stuff in while I put the Barbie away?" Chris asked

"Sure"

Hudson took the plates into the kitchen and placed them into the washing up bowl. He realised where he was standing and had an idea. Hudson ran out of the back door and almost collided with Chris, who looked surprised and confused to see him. Hudson grinned, grabbed Chris' jacket and pulled him towards him.

As soon as their lips met there was nothing stopping them, not even the heavy downpour. Hudson grazed his hands past Chris' cheeks, leaving his left one there whilst the right one moved to the back of his neck and played with his soft hair, which was getting wetter by the second. Chris meanwhile wrapped his arms around Hudson's waist and pulled him closer. They kissed slowly, sensually, enjoying the romantic sensation of making out in the rain.

Chris thought that it was probably the most romantic (and the hottest) thing that he had ever done, until he realised that both he and Hudson were shaking, partly with adrenaline and excitement, but mainly because it was cold and wet. If they stayed out here much longer they would probably catch pneumonia. Yeah, that wasn't quite so romantic. Chris reluctantly broke the kiss and saw the disappointment in Hudson's eyes immediately, but resisted the urge to resume the snog. Instead he whispered, "Let's continue this inside"

Hudson nodded, biting his lip. Holding hands, they moved from the garden, through the utility to room to the kitchen, not taking their eyes off each other for a second. As soon as they were in the kitchen they resumed their pashing session, more passionate than before. Hudson pushed Chris against the counter roughly, and they removed each other's damp jackets. When Chris felt Hudson's hands work their way down his body past his waist, Chris grabbed them and pushed him away slightly.

"What's wrong?" Hudson asked, eyes wide with worry

"I can't" Chris said, shaking his head

"You mean, you don't want to?-"

"No, of course I want to. I'm all… geared up" Chris paused, referring to the bulge in his jeans, "It's just that-"

"-It's too soon. I get it"

"Sorry" he apologised, sheepishly

"No, it's good one of us is thinking sensibly"

"Well, I mean we just had out first kiss right here not 30 minutes ago, it's just a bit soon for us to be, you know…"

"Yeah, we probably should wait for a bit" Hudson agreed, "what about tomorrow?" he joked and Chris laughed

"Wow, I never thought I'd be my own cockblock" Chris scoffed

Hudson laughed and pulled him in for another kiss. They both realised that it was probably a good thing that nobody else was around that evening.


	5. Chapter 5

_Technically I should have posted this on the 31__st__ July (since that was when their second kiss was aired) but I've been on holiday, so I wasn't able to upload it. Apologies for the length of it- I thought it was longer than it actually is. Anyway, here it is:_

**Continuation of the second kiss**

"_Is that what you're gonna use on me once you've had enough?"_

Chris sniggered, _"as if that's ever gonna happen" _then grabbed Hudson's jacket and pulled him in for a passionate kiss. Hudson's arms encircled Chris' neck whilst Chris worked his hands down Hudson's body and wrapped them around his waist. They remained like that for a few moments before Hudson felt Chris' hands move, and not to the place that Hudson would have liked, but instead he removed his hands from him entirely. Hudson opened his eyes and saw Chris looking over his shoulder. Hudson broke away and realised that Chris was looking at his watch.

"What's wrong?" Hudson asked

Chris shrugged, "I've got enough time before work for round two" he grabbed Hudson's hand and began leading him to the bedroom, then he stopped and turned to face him, "but if you make me late then you're gonna pay"

Hudson grinned; he wondered what his punishment would be…

xxx

Hudson sat on the wall in the Lassiter's complex. He was upset about the meeting that he had just had with a potential new coach, but he wasn't thinking much about that. Instead he was thinking about Chris, which he had actually done a lot of recently. Hudson couldn't believe how lucky he had got; just as he thought that he had lost everything, when things were looking bleaker and bleaker, Chris came along and made everything ok. Yeah, his swimming comeback wasn't exactly a roaring success, more like an epic fail, but at least he had his new man. Everything about him was so endearing: the way he ate, the way he made him laugh, his adorable freckles, his moves in the sack… Hudson grinned to himself; he really liked Chris, though he felt as though the word 'like' wasn't quite strong enough to describe how he felt. He didn't think that he was ready to use the other 'l' word just yet- they had only been together for a week- but his feelings were very strong indeed.

As if on cue, Hudson spotted his boyfriend and both sets of eyes lit up as they noticed each other.

"How was work?" Hudson asked and Chris just groaned in response

"I thought you loved your job"

"I do, but I don't think I've ever wanted a break so much in my life" he replied

"Why?"

Chris decided to tease Hudson, "Well I've just started seeing this guy and I can't stop thinking about him" he began, "he's funny, sweet, hot, and great in bed"

"Sounds like quite the guy" Hudson responded, playing along

"Yeah. His name's Ryan, I should introduce-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence because he was interrupted by Hudson shoving him jokingly. 'Falling for'- that was the word Hudson was looking for: he was falling for Chris, and it seemed as though he felt the same.

"So, how did the meeting with that coach go?" Chris asked, putting his arm around Hudson's shoulder. Hudson sighed and Chris realised

"Come on, tell me what happened" he demanded, leading him into Charlie's.


	6. Chapter 6

_This is inspired by aphass' request to write about Chris telling Hudson about his relationship with Aidan and being afraid of getting into another one. In my head I'm placing this in early August 2013 after Hudson finds out that Chris asked Brad to coach him._

_**Talking about the past**_

"_It just feels like forever since anyone's gone in to bat for me"_

* * *

"What's wrong?" Hudson asked as he shut the door. Chris froze momentarily at the bottom of the stairs

"Nothing" he murmured as he hurried to the kitchen

"It wasn't nothing, you've barely said two words to me since we left the gym" Hudson pointed out. He followed Chris into the kitchen and quickly shut the fridge as Chris was rummaging around in it for something to eat, "spill it, Pappas"

Chris paused before asking, "Are you ok about me asking Brad to be your coach?"

Hudson looked at him, bewildered.

"Are you serious?" he asked, incredulously, "you saved my career, of course I'm ok with it. Actually, I'm more than ok with it". He paused, then his eyes widened with realisation, "wait, did I not say 'thank you?'" he asked, then groaned, "I'm sorry, that must have made me seem really ungrateful, and I swear I am grateful for what you did".

Chris looked unconvinced, so Hudson raised his eyebrows suggestively, "I might just show you later on how grateful I am" he teased, rubbing Chris' arm. Again, this didn't seem to reassure his boyfriend, which caused Hudson to sigh.

"Ok, seriously, what's going on?"

Chris held his gaze momentarily before looking away

"When you said that it had been a long time since anyone had been in to bat for you, why is that?"

Hudson shrugged, "I guess I'm quite independent"

At this response Chris let out a deep breath and stormed past Hudson, who turned to stare at him.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Chris ran his hands through his hair and sat down on the couch. Hudson followed him into the living room and sat opposite him on the coffee table.

"Chris, just tell me what's going on" Hudson persisted, "why is it such a big deal?"

"Because I don't know if I can get involved with someone like that again" Chris revealed. Hudson raised one eyebrow, quizzically.

"Independent?" he prompted. Chris nodded

"My ex, Aidan, was so independent that I sometimes wondered whether he actually wanted to be with me or not. He might as well have been in a relationship with himself, he seemed happier alone than he was with me"

There was a silence after Chris' revelation, then the freckled faced boy rested his head in his hands and exhaled deeply. Hudson reckoned that he needed some breathing time as stared ahead of himself. Eventually he decided to break the silence.

"Well, if it's any consolation, that guy sounds like a complete tool"

Chris looked up from his hands and scoffed, "no, he was a great guy, not that I'm singing his praises to you or anything. He was clever, friendly, funny, loyal-"

Hudson interrupted him, "I thought you said you weren't singing his praises"

"Sorry" Chris responded sheepishly

Hudson shook his head, "It's ok, I'm just worried that you'll start talking about his skills in bed or something"

Chris smirked, "oh, he's nothing compared to you!"

"I can't say that I'm surprised" Hudson replied grinning, causing Chris to laugh

"So modest!" Chris guffawed, slapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Is that what's bothering you?" Hudson asked, "The idea that I might be too independent?"

Chris looked thoughtful, "I guess, or I'm just stuck in the past. The thing is, if you were overly independent like Aidan, we probably would have got into a huge fight where you'd accuse me of interfering in your career"

"Chris, there's 'interfering' and then there's 'helping'. Surely Aidan just didn't know the difference between the two"

"That's the thing. With Aidan, I felt like it was **me** who didn't know the difference, which just made me feel lousy. And yeah, looking back there were times that I probably shouldn't have got involved"

"But that's what happens in relationships, you get involved in each other's lives" Hudson explained, "I know that you wouldn't purposely do anything to hurt anyone, especially those that you love" Chris glanced at him, surprised, so Hudson backtracked, "I mean, **like**" he corrected.

"What you did for me, that wasn't interfering; that was doing what you thought was right- and it was" Hudson finished.

xxx

"Chips, seriously?" Chris asked as Hudson passed him a bowl of potato chips and a bottle of orange juice, "Hudson, we've just had a major workout. It's gonna take more than some chips and juice to restore my energy, we should go out for dinner or something"

"Yeah, well this will keep us going for the time being" Hudson argued, settling opposite Chris on the sofa, "There are more important things to sort out before dinner-"

Chris held up his hand, "I'm sorry, I'm gonna have to stop you there. There is **nothing** more important than dinner" he paused, "except breakfast"

Hudson laughed, "Wow, why am I not surprised?"

Chris grinned, "Now, what is this oh-so important thing we need to sort out instead of having a decent meal?"

"Well, we've been together a couple of weeks now, but when you told me about Aidan I realised that we don't really know much about each other, so let's find out about each other's deepest, darkest secrets" Hudson replied dramatically, reaching for some chips.

"Ok, well I've spilled about my ex, now it's your turn"

Hudson thought to himself for a few moments, "I had my first boyfriend when I was in year 12; his name was Liam and he had been out for a couple of years already" he took a swig of juice, "He took me under his wing and things developed from there. We were together for several months but he went to Uni after he left school, and we agreed that long-distance doesn't really work, so it kind of ended mutually" he paused, "it was similar to a summer romance I had after I left school. I went to Jamaica for a few months and met a guy called Darius. It was just a fling; I guess he was the rebound guy, so I wasn't too devastated when I had to leave and say goodbye to him"

"I never picked you for a 'fling' kind of guy" Chris said, raising his eyebrows. Hudson nodded smugly.

"Well that was the whole point of this chat, to find out this kind of stuff about each other"

Chris pondered this, "Actually, I've been kind of curious to know whether you've ever dated any other swimmers"

Hudson shook his head, "Nope. Don't get me wrong, I have been tempted. You know, hot guys in shorts and all, but I guess it would be pretty messy if you had to compete against someone that you're in a relationship with"

Chris nodded in agreement, raising his bottle of juice to his lips. Hudson continued, "Plus, when you spend so much time competing with someone, you see every side of them: the good, the bad and the ugly. So, over time I've sort of become immune to fancying other swimmers"

"So you haven't been with anyone since that fling a couple of years ago?" Chris confirmed

Hudson shook his head, "Well I dated a bit, but nothing ever really stuck; though that was mainly my fault. For one thing, I was so busy training that I didn't really have much time to fit in a relationship. And like I said, I was surrounded by swimmers all the time, which can sometimes get too much for a partner"

Chris nodded in understanding, "You know, after what happened with Josh and Amber, I was surprised that Don was ok with us going out"

"Well, he used to be like a dad to me, and he apparently cared about my happiness, so even though he was concerned that my swimming might suffer, if I wanted to date he was fine with it"

Chris grimaced, "See, it was the opposite with my dad. That was the reason Aidan and I broke up in the first place"

Hudson looked confused, "I thought you broke up because he was too independent"

"That was the second time" Chris explained, "the first time was because I was keeping our relationship a secret from my parents. I kept lying to him, telling him that they knew, I guess in the end he couldn't take the lies, and I don't blame him". He paused, grabbing some chips, "I guess that's why the second time around, I was so annoyed by all the lies that he told me, it seemed hypocritical that he was so angry about me lying yet did the same to me over and over again"

"I guess when someone lies repeatedly it becomes difficult to trust anything that they say after that" Hudson added

"Exactly" Chris agreed

"Speaking of your parents, do they know about us?"

Chris squirmed slightly and reached into the bowl for another handful of chips. Hudson watched him then sat back slightly, crossing his arms, "I take that as a 'no' then"

"Not exactly" Chris murmured, "they've been on holiday for the last few weeks, and before they left they knew we were dating, but I haven't spoken to them since you returned from Sydney. I promise that I'll tell them as soon as either they return or they learn to use a mobile phone" he paused, "plus, I wanted to make sure that this was actually worth telling my parents about. I mean, if we broke up immediately then what would be the point? They'd just make a big fuss about it"

"I guess" Hudson admitted, reluctantly

"What about you? Have you told your folks?"

Hudson nodded "Yep, I told them about you when I visited them, then the night we got together I told them that we were a couple. That call cost me a lot of money, so you owe me"

Chris grinned, leaning close to him, "well I can think of one way to repay you, something you mentioned earlier"

Hudson caught on and smiled, closing the distance between them to kiss him slowly. He suddenly pulled away

"I thought you wanted to have dinner"

"There are more important things than dinner" Chris responded, climbing off the couch

"Yeah, breakfast" Hudson replied, rolling his eyes

Chris chuckled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Meeting the parents**

_Although this didn't happen on screen, it was implied in February that Hudson had met Chris' parents. This is set around mid-August (after the conflict with Josh but before the hit-and-run)._

"What if they hate me?" Hudson asked as he checked himself in the mirror for the 100th time.

"How could they possibly hate you?" Chris argued from the doorway, watching him, "I've only told them good things about you"

"Exactly. What if I can't live up to their expectations?" Hudson questioned, straightening his collar.

"I didn't tell them anything that wasn't true! Besides, once I mentioned your name they knew who you were. The news told them more than I did"

"Well that's reassuring" Hudson responded, sarcastically.

Chris understood what Hudson was referring to and shook his head, "remember that nobody knows about the drugs stuff, all people know is what a talented swimmer you are"

Hudson rolled his eyes, "Yeah, but my swimming skills aren't exactly going to be helpful when meeting your parents, unless they hate me so much they try to chase me across the Tasman Sea to get me away from you"

Chris chuckled, "like I said, they're not going to hate you" he checked his watch, "though being late won't exactly make the greatest first impression"

"Ok, ok" Hudson sighed, then turned to Chris, "is this shirt alright?"

Chris sighed, moving towards him, "it's fine, now come on!" he insisted, grabbing his hand and leading him out of the house.

xxx

"Ok, I'm having second thoughts about this shirt" Hudson murmured as Charlie's came into sight. He began to turn around but Chris grabbed his arm.

"What's wrong with you?" Chris asked, "you're acting like you're about to meet the Queen of England. They're just my parents, it's no big deal"

"Yes it is" Hudson responded, his brown eyes gazing into Chris', "this has to go well because if they don't like me then it changes everything"

"It changes nothing" Chris argued, taking Hudson's hand, "no matter how they feel about you, it won't change how I feel about you. Nothing will" he paused, "unless you turn out to be a serial killer, because that's kind of a deal breaker for me"

Hudson widened his eyes dramatically, "how did you know?" he joked. Chris laughed then just looked at him.

"Are you ready?"

Hudson held his look before taking a deep breath and nodding,

"Let's do this"

Hands entwined, they entered Charlie's…

xxx

"What if he hates us?" Patricia asked George for the 100th time. George sighed (also for the 100th time).

"How could he hate us? We're his boyfriend's parents, Chris is a reflection of us, so if he likes Chris then he'll like us" he paused, "hopefully"

"Yeah, well 'hopefully' doesn't really cut it" Patricia snapped.

"Just remember, we're already off to a better start with Hudson than we were with Aidan" George pointed out, "It took nearly three months to even find out that he and Aidan were together. Less than two months in and we're already meeting Hudson"

"Yeah, but does that say more about us or Chris?" Patricia questioned, "Was it our fault that Chris couldn't tell us the first time round? Have we become more open since Aidan so that he now feels comfortable telling us about Hudson, or has he just become more confident himself?"

"Either way, just be glad that he did tell us" George suggested, "Heck, he barely talks about anything else when we've spoken to him over the last few weeks"

"I guess that is progress" Patricia admitted

"Exactly" George confirmed, then took her hand and patted it, "Now you need to relax otherwise it'll make the boys nervous"

"Ok, relax" Patricia repeated, then exhaled. She suddenly looked at her husband blankly, "I don't know how to do that, I don't think I've done that in about twenty years!"

George groaned and put his head into his hands, "they'd better get here soon" he mumbled

xxx

As if on cue, Chris entered with Hudson following two steps behind him. George hopped off his chair whilst Patricia suddenly began to fiddle with her watch.

"Hey Christos" George greeted, enveloping his son in a tight hug.

"Hey dad" Chris choked out, clearly struggling to breathe. George let go of him and Chris let out a deep breath,

"This is Hudson. Hudson, this is my dad, George"

Chris quickly hurried over to his mum and kissed her cheek

"Hi honey" she murmured.

He looked around to see Hudson going in to hug George, whilst George tried to shake his hand; as a result Hudson received an inadvertent punch to his gut.

"I'm so sorry!" George exclaimed

"It's ok" Hudson croaked

"No it's not, not for a professional swimmer"

"I'm fine, honestly" Hudson reassured him. As he noticed George looking unsure, Hudson gazed at Chris pleadingly, causing him to spring into action by grabbing Hudson's arm and pulling him towards his mum.

"Uh, Hudson, this is my mum, Patricia"

Hudson moved towards her, smiling and extending his hand.

"Hi Pat" he greeted, then noticed Chris frowning and shaking his head, "…ricia. Patricia, I meant" Hudson quickly corrected.

"Nice to meet you" Patricia responded, shaking his hand. She turned to George and Chris, "it feels like meeting a celebrity" she told them, then turned back to Hudson, letting go of his hand, "you're all over the news"

Hudson suddenly looked panicky, "look, the whole drugs thing was all above board and-"

Noticing their blank facial expressions and Chris sighing, Hudson suddenly remembered that Chris had told him that they didn't know about the drug use. Chris pushed past his dad, "why don't we get some drinks in?" he asked, then turned to face his parents, "the usual?"

His parents nodded, eyeing Hudson suspiciously. Chris and Hudson hurried to the counter; Hudson let out a breath and hit his head against it, "kill me now" he murmured.

Chris sniggered, "actually, I was worried that my dad had done that himself" he looked at Hudson sympathetically, "he didn't mean to assault you"

Hudson lifted his head up, "it's ok" he assured him, "But if this goes any worse then I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to do it on purpose"

"It'll be fine" Chris assured him, rubbing his boyfriend's back. He paused, "as long as you don't call my mum 'Pat' again. She says that it makes her sound old".

xxx

"And you just climbed onto the stage?!" Hudson exclaimed before taking a swig of his drink. George nodded and patted his wife's hand.

"Well luckily I managed to stop her before she did any serious damage" George pointed out, "to Robbie"

The boys snorted with laughter, whilst Patricia wore a mock-angry expression

"I wouldn't have hurt him" she whined

"Not intentionally" George said, "a bit like me attacking Hudson, completely unintentional"

"It was your fault for taking me to a Robbie Williams concert!" Patricia told her husband, "You knew what you signed up for when you signed up for the tickets"

"I didn't realise that you were so infatuated with him, mum" Chris admitted, slightly disturbed and shuddering a little.

"Well who isn't?" Hudson asked. Chris shrugged,

"I never picked you as a fan" he responded

"Well I'm not obsessed with him" Hudson told him, "but I admit that I have a few of his hits on my iPod"

"Really?" Patricia exclaimed, then turned to her son, "I think I might just swap you for Hudson"

Chris sniggered, "feel free to fangirl about Robbie with my boyfriend to your heart's content" he said, holding his hands up in a fake surrender. His mum pulled a face at him before turning back to Hudson, "so, which one's your favourite?"

Hudson considered this for a few moments, then shook his head, "That's really difficult" he complained, "you know, 'A Man For All Seasons' and 'Let Me Entertain You' are always great to listen to, but personally you can't beat 'Better Man'"

Patricia almost shot right out of her seat, "I love that one!" she squealed loudly, whilst Chris covered his glass

"Careful mum!" he warned her, "Any higher the decibel and these glasses will break, then we'd have to pay for new ones!"

"Oh quiet you!" Patricia laughed. Chris grinned, revelling in the bond between his parents and his boyfriend.

xxx

"Well that went well" Chris stated, walking away from Charlie's whilst holding Hudson's hand. He paused, "eventually"

Hudson sniggered, "yeah, it took a while, didn't it?"

"Well once the drinks started flowing-" Chris began, but Hudson stopped in his tracks and turned to him, eyebrow raised.

"So I've got to be intoxicated every time I speak to your parents now, have I?"

Chris laughed and shook his head, taking his other hand, "it was only a couple of drinks. Besides, it was the first meeting, and it broke the ice, didn't it?"

"As well as possibly breaking my ribs" Hudson grimaced, removing one of his hands from Chris' grasp and rubbing his sore lower ribs. They continued walking, "I would not want to get on the wrong side of your dad"

"Hopefully that will never happen" Chris reassured him, "just try to stay in his good books"

Hudson nodded, "Well your mum seems to like me" he acknowledged

"You can thank Robbie Williams for that" Chris joked

"I would if I could" Hudson scoffed, then stopped and turned to him, "I guess you'll do though" he finished, placing a firm kiss on his boyfriend's lips. Chris grinned as he pulled away.

"Come on" he muttered, pulling his boyfriend back to the share house.

_Thanks for reading! I hope that people understood the 'Better Man' joke (if you didn't, the joke is that Remy Hii who played Hudson also played the protagonist Van Tuong Nguyen in the mini series 'Better Man' - named after the Robbie Williams song - before he got the role of Hudson); I couldn't resist putting it in there, especially after the episode where Sonya and Toadie went to the Robbie Williams concert. I've got a couple more one-shots in the pipeline, but if anyone has any prompts/ideas for more, please let me know. Anyway, thanks again!_


	8. Chapter 8

**What if… (The 'whodunnit')?**

_I wrote this a while ago and I know it's out-of-date, but I thought I'd upload it now._

_Set in late August 2013, what if Hudson wasn't the driver in the hit-and-run? Let's say it was Lucas instead, but Hudson was hiding a secret about his role in the incident that resulted in his relationship with Chris falling apart and Hudson leaving Erinsborough._

* * *

Chris rummaged around in the fridge, trying to find something for lunch. Suddenly a phone began to vibrate, causing Chris' head to pop up over the door. He reached into his jeans' pockets but his mobile wasn't in there. He noticed Hudson's mobile across the kitchen surface buzzing and moving slightly. Chris picked up the mobile and read that the caller was Hudson's mum. Shrugging, Chris answered it.

"Hey Mrs Walsh" Chris saluted casually, having already had a few conversations with the woman previously, "Hudson's at training right now and left his phone behind, but I can let him know that you called or I can take a message if you want". His face turned grave as Hudson's mum gave him a message to pass on to her son…

xxx

Chris sat on the sofa in the living room, staring at Hudson's mobile lying on the coffee table. He had been doing that for the last hour or so with Mrs Walsh's call going round and round in his head. Hudson burst through the door and dropped his bag on the sofa opposite, exhaling. He spotted his mobile on the table but clearly didn't notice Chris' mood immediately.

"Hey" he greeted breathlessly, "Brad told me that you called to say that I'd left my phone behind. Thanks" he babbled, picking it up. It was then that he noticed Chris' blank expression and stared at him for a few moments.

"What's up?" Hudson asked, puzzled. Chris looked up at him.

"Your mum called" he replied shortly.

Hudson suddenly looked worried, "what did she want?" he asked uncomfortably.

"She wanted to know if you knew anything about the money that went missing from your parent's bank account" Chris told him flatly, "Apparently eight thousand dollars was taken from their account the same day that you promised Mason that you would get eight grand for him to pay off Robbo"

Hudson avoided Chris' gaze, which caused Chris to shake his head in denial.

"Please tell me this is just a coincidence" he pleaded, shakily.

Hudson glanced at him before slowly shaking his head.

Chris' eyes widened in disbelief, "You **stole** eight grand from your parents?!" he hissed

"I'm sorry" Hudson whispered, upset.

Chris looked appalled, "you said they'd lend it to you"

"Well they didn't" Hudson revealed bitterly, "When I asked to borrow it, they wanted to know what I needed it for, and I knew that if I told them then they would refuse. I barely knew Robbo, or Mason for that matter; they wouldn't give me so much money to give to a guy to pay off his blackmailer. They'd just tell me not to get involved"

Chris looked bewildered, "how did you even access their account?"

"The last time I went back home, after the whole Don thing, I was worried that he would come after me, and my parents wanted me to be financially secure just in case" Hudson explained, "they gave me their bank account details, but I didn't need it in the end. I forgot that I still had them, but when you told me about the Robbo situation, I remembered that I did and realised that I could help"

"Why did you even offer to help?" Chris asked, completely aghast

"Because of you!" Hudson exclaimed. Chris pulled a confused face,

"What?"

"Because I lo-" Hudson began but hesitated in embarrassment, realising that it probably wasn't the wisest thing to admit. He glanced at Chris, whose body trembled from anger and incredulity, unable to completely process what he was hearing.

Hudson sighed, "I didn't want to be the boyfriend who just pats you on the back and says 'you'll find a solution'" he told him, "I wanted to be part of the solution. See? I did it for you-"

Chris stood up, face crimson and expression furious.

"Oh yeah, because that makes it ok does it?" Chris snapped, "You stole money from your parents but it's ok because you did it for me!" he finished, sarcastically.

"Look, I'm sorry" Hudson apologised earnestly

Chris shook his head, "It's not me you should be apologising to"

Hudson scrolled through the contacts on his mobile, "Ok, I'll call my parents"

Chris covered the mobile with his hand, "No, do it face-to-face"

Hudson looked confused, "What?"

"Go to Sydney, look your parents in the eyes and tell them what you did" Chris commanded, "Then earn the money to pay them back and accept whatever punishment they give you" he paused, "You deserve everything you get" he finished coldly.

They held each other's gazes for a few moments before Chris marched up the stairs and held the door open.

"Go" he ordered coldly, looking straight ahead of himself

"Chris…" Hudson began wearily

"Just go!" Chris shouted

Dejectedly, Hudson hung his head as he grabbed his bag and exited, avoiding eye-contact with Chris. Chris slammed the door in anguish then rested his head against it, exhaling slowly. On the other side of the door Hudson's brown eyes filled with tears as he collapsed to the ground. He wrapped his arms around himself and began to sob.

* * *

_The inspiration came from the fact that when this storyline was airing, I didn't believe that Hudson would be responsible, and I always thought it was weird that he would give so much money to help people he barely knew, and that he would be able to obtain it so easily. Anyway, I've got a final 'Chrudson' one-shot on its way, so stay tuned!_


	9. Chapter 9

**The letter**

_This is what I imagined Hudson's letter to Chris (when he was sentenced to four years in prison) to be like. Hudson did tell Chris the main idea of what it said, but obviously Chris burnt the letter so no-one will ever know what it __**actually **__said…_

* * *

Chris,

I am so sorry for ending things so abruptly, especially without saying goodbye. After everything we've been through together it's the least you deserved. I never meant to cut you off, but I've had such a hard time trying to get my head around what I did. After the hit-and-run I was plagued with guilt, and you know that; I never really let myself comprehend what I had done and I was distracted by swimming and our relationship, but being arrested and granted bail gave me the time to really think about it. I just needed some space and some time to think and prepare myself for prison. I know that that doesn't excuse what I did, and if I were you I'd be angry and upset, and would never want to think, see or hear about the criminal ever again. But I'm not you: you're gorgeous and amazing and everything I want to be, but never will.

The main reason that I cut you off, though, was because I knew what was coming. As soon as I felt Robbo's body hit the car, I knew that I would end up here sooner or later. I realised what would happen and I didn't want to drag you down with me. I know that you told me that you'd stand by me - and I don't doubt that you would have if I'd have given you the chance - but I couldn't bear to think about the idea of you standing by me until I had to be put away, and having to say goodbye to the person that I love so much that it hurts. I love you, and I can't believe that the first time those words are communicated it's written in a letter just before my court hearing, where it's likely that we'll never see each other again. I've been wanting to say it for so long, but I couldn't because all of this would become real: how much you really mean to me, and - as I said to you at the police station - I wouldn't have been able to give it up: us, our relationship, everything.

I hope you understand that I never meant to hurt you. In fact, I was trying to save you from the hurt, and to make things easier - just like you did for me. You stood by me when my whole life fell apart and I will always be grateful, grateful for having you in my life. I don't regret giving up my career to be with you, I just wish we had lasted longer. I know I've made mistakes - that's why I'm here awaiting trial - though I know you'd tell me that we're all human and we all make mistakes, but that doesn't really make it any better, does it? I want you to know that out of everything I've been through this past year, you were the one thing that I got right, because you made everything right.

I have the feeling that you blame yourself for all of this (that's how well I know you) but you need to know that none of this was your fault; my actions are my own fault, not yours or anyone else's. You need to remember that, and hopefully one day you'll be able to forgive me for all of this.

All my love,

Hudson.

* * *

I know that - similarly to the 'whodunnit' - this was out of date in regards to what's going on in the show itself, but I have a Chris and Nate one-shot in the pipeline so I thought I'd get the 'Chrudson' ones out of the way so that I'd have a blank slate. Anyway, reviews, prompts and ideas are always welcome!


	10. Chapter 10

**Valentine's Disaster**

_Based on the hilarious Valentine's Day episode, this is a continuation of Nate seeing Chris' tattoo whilst in the hot tub._

* * *

Nate continued to stare wide-eyed and open mouthed at the tattoo just below Chris' right shoulder, unsure whether to laugh or cry. Eventually he cleared his throat.

"You do know my name's not 'Georgia', right?" he asked cautiously.

Chris guffawed, shuffling back round to face him, "Yeah, I know. It was just a stupid stuff-up"

Nate was confused, "How did it even happen?"

"Well me, Kyle, Toadie and Karl told the tattoo guy what we wanted inked on ourselves" he explained, "but he must have got us mixed up when he called each of us in"

Nate nodded in understanding before suddenly asking, "Wait, so who got my name?"

Chris thought back to the earlier mayhem at The Waterhole of the guys reading each other's derrières and cringed at the memory, "Toadie" he uttered

Nate sighed, partly in relief, "At least it wasn't Karl. That would have been **really** weird"

Chris nodded in agreement, "Good point, though it doesn't really make it **that** much better" he exhaled deeply, "I probably should've seen this coming"

Nate raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

Chris glanced at him, "I've told you about my old friend Andrew, right?"

Nate considered this, "Yeah, what about him?"

"Well at Schoolies a few years ago he decided to get his girlfriend's name, Summer, tattooed on his back in Chinese" he began, "He wrote her name down on a piece of card but gave it to me because I was slightly more sober than he was and he thought I'd keep it safe. Anyway, for fun I showed the tattoo guy the other side of the card that had 'Pickles' written on it - which was his car - so he got that tattooed instead"

Nate scoffed and Chris continued, "Andrew found out the truth a while later and he never let me forget it" he pointed to his tattoo, "This must be karma"

Nate shook his head in disbelief before asking, "So are you going to get your money back for this 'karma'?"

Chris shrugged, "There doesn't seem to be much point"

"What do you mean?"

Chris hesitated before shamefully elaborating, "Well not only did we get a group discount, but Karl had a voucher for 20% off the tattoos"

Nate was flabbergasted, "You got discounts on your tattoos and you're surprised it went wrong?"

Chris held his hand up to argue, "Well I warned them about it but Karl was all like 'what could go wrong? I'll be there', which is pretty ironic now really"

Nate shook his head in disbelief, "Geez, you're gullible"

Chris looked offended, "And I love you too" he retorted, voice full of bitterness.

Nate smiled smugly at him and splashed him teasingly, "What are you gonna do about it then? I don't really like the idea of you walking around with 'Georgia' tattooed on your back forever, and I can't imagine that Kyle does either"

Chris pondered this, "Well maybe I can get a pen and subtly change the name or something"

Nate snorted at his suggestion, "I'd like to see your attempt at changing the name 'Georgia' to 'Nate'" he chuckled

There was a long silence as Chris tried to come up with a better idea as to how to remove the tattoo from his back without having to go for laser removal because just the thought of having that done sent shivers down his spine. After a few moments Nate blinked at him, "Go on then"

Chris looked puzzled, "You want me to sort it out now?"

Nate shook his head, "No, I was referring to you getting the champagne" he clarified, "then logically figuring out what you're gonna do about the tat"

Chris was slightly taken aback, "Ok, fine" he replied flatly before filling a glass with the champagne and passing it to his boyfriend.

Chris began to climb out of the tub when Nate stopped him, "Wait, you're leaving me alone here on Valentine's Day? You know I have to go to work later, right?"

Chris nodded, "Yeah, I know. But I'm going to make up for this botched-up present by finding the one that I originally bought you"

"Which was…?" Nate prompted.

Chris shook his head and smirked, "Nope. After what happened at Christmas I'm not giving anything away"

He waded over to Nate and kissed him tenderly, "I'll see you soon" he muttered before clambering out of the hot tub. Chris grabbed his clothes and clumsily scrambled to pull them on as he left the garden. Nate watched him curiously until Chris had departed before bursting into laughter at the whole situation.

xxx

Nate stopped as though he had been shot when he saw a bunch of roses sticking out of some shrubbery that he had just watered. Puzzled, he crept towards it before noticing that it was resting on a box of fancy chocolates. Nate picked up the flowers and chocolates, smiling as he realised that they were the presents that Chris had been referring to earlier on. Nate decided to put the flowers in some water so he turned around to grab a vase, only to come face-to-face with his boyfriend. Nate almost dropped the presents in surprise but luckily he had very fast reflexes and excellent catching skills from his time in the army and managed to grab both before they hit the ground.

"Are they better?" Chris asked, pointing to the presents.

Nate exhaled and nodded, recovering from the shock, "Four presents, very thoughtful"

Chris looked confused, "'four'?" he repeated

Nate nodded, "The tattoo, the flowers, the chocolates and the heart attack you just gave me"

Chris pulled a face, "Very funny" he replied sarcastically before shrugging, "I wasn't really sure what would be an appropriate Valentine's Day present for a former solider, so I thought I'd go traditional"

Nate glanced down at the presents, "By 'traditional' do you mean what's normally done for Valentine's Day or what you've done in previous years?"

Chris scoffed, "No, I've never done this for anyone else. In fact, I've never actually celebrated Valentine's Day properly before"

"What do you mean?" Nate asked, confused because he knew that Chris had been in a few relationships already.

"Well about three Valentine's Day's ago I went on my first date" Chris began, "then the following year I was single, then last year my boyfriend was in prison so we couldn't really celebrate. So technically this is the first Valentine's Day I've **properly** celebrated in a relationship"

"Same here" Nate replied, "Except for the whole 'first date' and 'boyfriend in prison' thing"

Chris chuckled and Nate carefully put the presents down before circling his arms around his boyfriend's waist, "Thank you for today"

"What for?" Chris asked, rubbing Nate's forearms slowly, "For being stupid enough to get a tattoo then leaving you alone for most of the day?"

Nate shook his head, "No, for going to so much effort for me" he replied, smiling sadly, "Nobody's gotten my name permanently inked on their skin before"

Chris considered this, "Well technically it was Toadie who did that"

Nate sniggered, "You know what I mean. What is it they say? 'It's the thought that counts'" he glanced away, "No-one's ever put in so much effort to do anything like this for me"

"Well why wouldn't I?" Chris questioned, wrapping his arms around Nate's neck, "I love you"

Nate sighed and rested his forehead against Chris', "I love you too" he replied gently before kissing him lovingly.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! I was immediately inspired by the Valentine's Day episode, and particularly by what Nate said in the following episode about liking the fact that Chris treated him well, so I wanted to intertwine both ideas. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Coward-punching**

_Requested by 'Guest' (you know who you are), these are some missing scenes from after Chris was attacked, set between the 22__nd__ September and the 6__th__ November._

* * *

_**26**__**th**__** September (whilst Chris is in his coma) **_

Nate stared at his unconscious boyfriend through the window of the Hospital. His own heart was pounding with such force that Nate was worried it would rip through his chest. He was breathing heavily and felt lost. Without Chris he felt like he had no-one: Chris had stuck by him through his struggles with PTSD, and Nate felt as though he had thrown it back in his face by snapping at him about his past at the party. Nate didn't think he had ever felt as empty in that moment as he had when one of his closest friends was shot dead right in front of his face whilst they were in combat.

Kyle and Georgia had headed to the canteen a few minutes earlier to get some refreshments and had invited Nate along. Nate had politely declined, partly wanting to stay just in case Chris woke up, but mainly because he felt uncomfortable being around the couple without Chris. He didn't think he had ever been in the same vicinity as either of them when Chris wasn't around, and the thought of trying to talk about anything other than his unconscious boyfriend to people who were virtually strangers made Nate feel uncomfortable. Not that he didn't like them or anything: Kyle was a friendly, funny guy who was like a brother to Chris, whilst Georgia seemed sweet, caring and quirky. Aside from that, Nate barely knew them and wasn't ready to be exchanging pleasantries with them.

As if on cue, Georgia approached Nate cautiously and laid a gentle hand on his arm. Nate spun around, both of them startled.

"Sorry" Georgia apologised hastily, "I didn't mean to disturb you, I was just wondering if you were hungry"

She held out a paper bag towards him, "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got a couple of different sandwiches and some pasta salads for you to choose from"

Nate smiled slightly, "Thanks" he whispered, taking the bag from her.

"Are you ok?" she asked

Nate shrugged, "Does it matter? Chris is the one we should be worried about"

Georgia dropped her head to the side, "Of course it matters, and Chris is in the best possible hands. Now you need to worry about yourself"

Nate shook his head, "I'm fine"

"You might feel like that now, but once the shock subsides you'll feel exhausted and hungry" she pointed out, "Trust me, I see this kind of thing all the time. Families and friends of patients stop taking care of themselves when their loved one's in hospital and it always comes back to bite them"

Nate sniggered, "I guess I can't argue with you then, can I?"

Georgia shook her head smugly, "Nope, so don't even try"

Nate smiled, "I'll bear that in mind for the future" he replied before glancing to the floor, "If there even is a future"

Georgia raised her eyebrows, "You shouldn't think like that" she warned him, "He's gonna be ok, you'll see"

Nate shook his head, "That's not what I meant" he reassured her, "I meant that I'm not sure if I'll be sticking around. I don't know if Chris will even want me around"

Georgia looked confused, "Why would you say that?"

"Because we had a fight just before he was attacked" Nate admitted reluctantly.

"A fight about what?"

"My past" Nate replied, then sighed, "He probably won't want a bar of me"

"Don't say that" Georgia cried, "We'll have to wait for the prognosis but it's likely that Chris will need all the support he can get, even just for the little things"

Nate thought to himself for a few moments and Georgia smiled slightly, "Don't give up just yet, ok? Chris is besotted with you and he's gonna need you around"

Nate nodded reluctantly and Georgia left him on his own. Staring through the window, Nate realised that Georgia had a point: Chris was going to need him once he had woken up. The question was whether Nate was ready for that. He couldn't remember the last time someone had depended on him and since their relationship was so new he wondered if it was worth standing by him. Watching the machines monitoring Chris' body unnerved Nate, so instead he distracted himself by compiling a mental list of items that Chris would need once he woke up. Eventually he stepped away from the window and made his way back to Ramsay Street with a plan to go to number 26 and collect all of the items together for his boyfriend.

* * *

_**31**__**st**__** October (following Nate firing Susan as his counsellor)**_

Although Nate was concerned about his well-being in the long-term, he knew that firing Susan was for the best. After all, nothing was worth traumatising a family member for, not even his own mental health. He knew that it would be a struggle, but he had made some progress with his PTSD and hoped that he could continue in that way with any new counsellors that he decided to see.

As Nate left The Waterhole, he felt some tension drain from his body knowing that he had made life easier for his aunt. He reflected on the events of the past couple of hours and chuckled at the memory of seeing Chris, Kyle and Georgia in the living room with Kyle sprinkling gerbera petals everywhere. Nate was slightly embarrassed that he didn't realise that it was Chris' attempt at setting a romantic atmosphere, but he was so used to being his carer that he was stuck in the mind-set and couldn't envisage Chris in a romantic way. Perhaps Chris was right: at some point he had gone from being his boyfriend to being a patient, and that wasn't fair on either of them. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do to fix the situation but he realised that they needed to have a proper conversation about it if they wanted things to work.

Nate reached into his pocket to retrieve his mobile and called Chris. The phone rang a few times before Chris quietly answered, "Hi"

Nate could tell that Chris was bitter about Nate admitting that he felt uncomfortable with the idea of being intimate before leaving him alone to talk to Susan, and he sighed regretfully.

"Hey" he responded, "Are you busy?"

There was a pause on the other end of the line before Chris reluctantly replied, "Not really, why?"

"I was wondering if I could come over"

Chris scoffed, "You've never had to ask before"

Nate considered this, "I know, but I wasn't sure if you'd want to see me"

"Of course I do" Chris argued softly

"I just reckon we need to talk" Nate admitted, "I'm sorry about what I said earlier"

"Don't worry about it" Chris told him, "I've been thinking about it, and I get where you're coming from. A lot's changed since the attack, of course it's going to affect our relationship"

"But I want to try to sort this out"

"And how are you going to do that?" Chris asked offhandedly

Nate thought to himself for a few moments, trying to come up with something romantic to make up for ruining Chris' gesture earlier on, "Well we haven't used the spa for a while" he pointed out

"We used it yesterday for my hydrotherapy exercises" Chris reminded him

"I know, but I meant that we haven't used it for our own enjoyment"

"Good point, we haven't" Chris replied, and Nate could tell through his boyfriend's tone that he was smiling, "Ok, I'll get the hot tub ready. Just give me a minute to finish my sandwich"

Nate chuckled, "Trust you to be eating"

"Well yeah, this is me we're talking about" Chris retorted and Nate laughed. His boyfriend's eating habits were – without a doubt – one of the most endearing things about him, despite all of the jokes that were made about it, and Nate continued to smile to himself whilst Chris got the hot-tub ready.

* * *

_**3**__**rd**__** November (following Chris being taken to Hospital after his seizure)**_

Once Nate had rushed out of the Hospital he let out a deep breath. The image of Chris having a seizure in the garden flashed before his eyes and Nate didn't think he had been that scared in a long time – not since his days in the army, that's for sure. The mere thought of losing Chris sent shivers down Nate's spine and he was unnerved by how strong the feelings were. Perhaps it was linked to the army: the last time he had really been panicked or frightened was when he was in combat, and now suffering from PTSD must have brought all of those emotions back. Although that was the logical explanation behind it, Nate realised that it wasn't the real reason and his true feelings gradually dawned on him: he was in love.

Upon sensing people approaching, Nate turned around to spot Kyle and Georgia heading out of the door. They smiled reassuringly at him.

"He should be ok" Georgia informed him, "They're just going to monitor him overnight"

Nate let out a breath, "Good"

"Are you ok, dude?" Kyle asked, noticing Nate's thoughtfulness

Nate nodded, "Yeah, it's just been a strange day, that's all"

"Tell me about it" Kyle scoffed

"So, I'm guessing your romantic evening didn't go to plan?" Georgia queried

Nate shook his head, "Actually, not even close" he admitted, "I didn't realise what you guys were trying to do earlier on. I thought the romantic stuff was for you two"

Kyle looked confused, "But we left" he pointed out

Nate chuckled, "I know, but my brain didn't register that" he told them, "But thanks for your help anyway"

"It's no problem" Kyle replied

Georgia grinned, "Yeah, Chris has helped us more than enough with our relationship woes, so it was the least we could do to help him in return"

Nate smiled slightly, "That sounds like him, helping people who need it"

Georgia and Kyle nodded in agreement, "He's a great guy" Georgia replied, "But obviously you already know that"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, I do"

Georgia smiled at him fondly, "Things are really serious between you two now then?"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, I think that…" he began, then stopped himself from continuing

There was a pause before Georgia prompted, "You think what?"

Nate hesitated, "This is gonna sound a bit cheesy or weird or whatever, but I think I love him"

Georgia and Kyle beamed at him, "Wow, that's great!" she exclaimed, giving him a quick hug. Nate laughed and Kyle thought to himself for a moment.

"Ok, so things **are** more serious than we first thought" Kyle murmured

Nate shrugged, "Yeah, well I didn't really realise it until after his attack, a part of me wanted to run away from it, from **him**. But I couldn't" he paused then realised, "And I ran away from him just now, didn't I?"

"It's not too late" Georgia pointed out, "He wanted to follow you after you left but we forced him to stay"

"Really?"

Kyle nodded, "Yeah, he didn't want to stay overnight, he wanted to have the date instead"

"You could always do it tomorrow though" Georgia suggested, "Once he's been discharged"

Nate paused thoughtfully, not wanting to wait that long, "Not necessarily" he murmured

Kyle and Georgia exchanged a puzzled glance, "What do you mean?" Georgia asked

Nate smiled slightly and glanced at Georgia, "Would it be possible for me to come back here later?"

"Why?" Georgia asked

"I've got an idea, but I might not be able to put it into action until after visiting hours"

Georgia raised an eyebrow but was smiling, "I'll check with the nurses on duty, but I don't see why not"

"Cool, thanks. I'll see you guys later" he replied before giving them a quick wave and heading off.

Kyle and Georgia watched after him curiously, wondering what the eager man had planned for that night…

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks to 'Guest' for the request. I originally wasn't sure what I should cover in this, but I hope this was close to what you were expecting. I really enjoyed writing this and hope you (and everyone else) enjoyed it too. Anyway, despite Chris' departure I'll still be writing, so if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know._


	12. Chapter 12

**Early Days**

_Prompted by 'Guest', this one-shot covers some missing moments between Chris and Nate's first meeting and Nate revealing his military secret._

* * *

**_18th August (following Chris and Nate introducing themselves)_**

Nate knew that he should be grieving for Pony, his old friend who had recently died in combat. Instead, he was thinking about the young man that he had met earlier, and glanced down at his mobile to check whether the guy had called or texted him yet, which he hadn't. Nate sighed as he checked his previous texts, one of which was from a close friend of his, clarifying the time that they were due to meet for Pony's funeral. Nate sighed as he returned his mobile to his pocket and made his way back to number 28.

He was reluctant to go back in there; it was an unfamiliar house in an unfamiliar street owned by people who he was distantly related to yet had only just met. Hesitantly, he reached into his pocket and fished for the key. Nate was surprised that they gave him a key immediately, though they had explained that they had jobs with long - and often unpredictable - working hours which meant that they wouldn't always be around, and Nate was quite grateful that he would have the opportunity to be alone. Not that he didn't like Karl or Susan: they had done everything that they could to make him feel welcome, but they were practically strangers despite being part of his family and in some respects, Nate wanted to leave as soon as he possibly could.

xxx

Nate glanced around his room: it was quite a neutral one to say the least, but it was better furnished than anything he had stayed in during his time in combat and he felt secure and comfortable. He decided not to unpack – not that he had much to unpack anyway – because he wasn't sure how long he would be staying for. Long enough to have a drink with Chris, obviously, but beyond that he wasn't sure. As if on cue, Nate's mobile began to ring and showed an unknown number. Although he assumed that it was Chris, Nate was still hesitant to answer it.

"Hello?" he greeted quietly and uncertainly

"Hey Nate" Chris' bright voice greeted in return, "Wait, this **is **Nate, right?"

Nate chuckled, immediately feeling more relaxed, "Yeah, it's me. I didn't give you a fake number if that's what you're worried about"

"Well it was either that or I typed it in wrong" Chris replied

"Oh yeah, I hate it when that happens" Nate agreed, "So, what's up?"

"Look, I hope I don't sound too eager or anything but I wanted to arrange our date" Chris began, then realised what he had said and tried to rephrase, "Drinks, I mean, not 'date'"

Nate laughed, inwardly pleased that Chris was using the term 'date', "You can call it a date if you want" he told him, "And no, you don't sound too eager. Besides, I think that eager is ten times better than hard-to-get"

Chris let out a breath, "Good, because I am terrible at playing hard-to-get" he responded, "Anyway, when are you available?"

Nate frowned, "Uh, I can't do tomorrow afternoon unfortunately" he replied regretfully, hoping that Chris wouldn't ask why.

Chris didn't, and instead hesitated before asking, "Oh, well are you free tomorrow morning?"

"'Morning'?" Nate repeated, "Should we really be drinking in the morning?"

"No, it doesn't involve alcohol" Chris explained, and Nate was confused, "I know this idea's gonna sound a bit 'out there', but how do you feel about a breakfast-picnic-date type thing?"

Nate considered this, "Well I've never been on a 'breakfast-picnic-date type thing' before" he teased, "But it sounds great"

"Cool" Chris replied, "Well since you're new to the area, do you want me to pick you up?"

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea" Nate told him, "I'd hate to get lost on my way and make you think that I've stood you up. I'm staying at 28 Ramsay Street"

There was a pause, "Where?" Chris asked

Nate assumed that he hadn't spoken clearly enough, "28 Ramsay Street" he repeated slowly

There was another pause, "You're kidding, right?"

"No, why?" Nate replied, wondering whether he had got the address wrong himself, though he had it written down and had read it on the door several times, "Do you know where that is?"

"Hold on" Chris commanded hastily.

Nate was confused but waited for the young man to return to the conversation. After a few moments there was a knock at the front door and Nate jumped off his bed in shock. Instinct caused him to creep cautiously down the hallway towards the living room.

Susan opened the door to find Chris standing on the other side, looking curious.

"Hi Chris" she greeted, "What can I do for you?"

"Hey Susan" he replied, glancing inside, "is Nate here?"

Confused as to how Chris knew the introverted man, Susan nodded and turned around to spot Nate, who was just emerging from the hallway, "Ah Nate, your ears must be burning"

Puzzled, Nate approached the door and his eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Chris standing opposite him.

"Wow, how did you do that?" Nate cried

Chris grinned and pointed to his left, "I live next door, at number 26" he replied into the phone that he was holding to his ear before hanging up.

Nate laughed, "No way!"

Susan looked between them, "Wait, what's going on here?"

"We met earlier on" Chris explained, "Nate gave me his number and told me that this is where he lives. I can't believe we're neighbours"

Nate shook his head, "Me neither" he agreed, inwardly thrilled by the idea of being next door to the young man.

Chris glanced between Susan and Nate, "So how do you guys know each other?" he asked

"Nate's my step-nephew" Susan informed him

Chris pulled a face, "Strange connection but I'm not one to judge. I mean, I live in a house where I'm the only person not related to anyone else"

Susan laughed, "True" she replied, "Anyway, I'll leave you guys alone"

Susan turned away from them, leaving Chris and Nate to sort out the details of their date. She was pleased that Nate had found someone that he had a connection with, though Chris was the last person that she expected to befriend him. However, Chris was an amiable, likable person who was easy to be friends with so she shouldn't have been surprised. She sniggered to herself as she remembered Karl assuming that Zeke was gay about four months earlier, and it turned out that it was his cousin who was instead. Susan was quickly concerned, however, that there had been no mention of it up until now, though she knew that it wasn't really important. Her main concern was Nate's mysterious background and personality: this was a young man who was part of her family, yet she knew almost nothing about him, and she was determined to dig deeper to find out the full story.

* * *

_**19**__**th**__** August (the first date)**_

Nate attempted to stifle a yawn as he checked himself in the mirror. He had never been this nervous (or tired) about a date before, if he could even call it a 'date'. He had been disappointed when Chris had suggested that some of his friends tagged along, though Nate had tried not to show it. He supposed that it might be a good opportunity: if he was going to be staying for a while, it would be beneficial to integrate himself with other people his age.

Karl and Susan had left earlier, but their whisperings had roused Nate's suspicions, and he assumed that they had been talking about him, particularly the fact that he had standing in the living room early in the morning, struggling with his nightmares. Nate knew that he couldn't tell anyone about his problems; they would never understand and he would feel more isolated than ever before. Shaking his head to dismiss his thoughts, Nate let himself yawn and dreaded the day ahead. Although he was looking forward to his date, he knew that he couldn't fully enjoy it with his lack of sleep and anxiety towards the funeral later on. Nate took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down and gather his thoughts before he had to face the real world.

xxx

Chris was staring at number 28 expectantly as he waited for Nate to emerge, which amused Kyle and Georgia.

"You'd make a really good stalker, you know that?" Kyle pointed out

Chris glanced at them quizzically, "What?"

Georgia sniggered, "Staring at the door won't make him walk out of it any quicker, you know"

Chris sighed and turned to face them, "Sorry. I'm just nervous, that's all" he admitted

Kyle's eyes widened dramatically, "Really? We never would have guessed!" he replied sarcastically

Chris pulled a face at them, then glanced down at himself, "How do I look?" he asked worriedly

"The same as you did the last time you asked, about two minutes ago" Georgia replied

"Geez, anyone would think you've never been on a date before with the way you're acting" Kyle remarked

Chris shook his head, "Not with my next-door neighbour" he replied

"Why does that matter?" Georgia asked

"Because we'll have to see each other every day" Chris responded, "So this has to go well otherwise things will be insanely awkward between us until one of us leaves"

Georgia considered this, "Yeah, good point" she muttered

Unbeknownst to Chris, Nate had emerged from number 28 and was approaching him from behind. Kyle and Georgia had spotted him but decided not to warn Chris as Nate came up behind him.

"Hey guys" Nate greeted, causing Chris to practically jump out of his skin, much to Kyle and Georgia's amusement, "Sorry, I didn't mean to give you a fright"

Chris shook his head, "No, it-it-it's fine" he stammered, "Oh, you guys haven't met properly, have you? Nate, this is Kyle and Georgia, they're my housemates"

Nate smiled and shook their hands politely, "Good to meet you"

"You too" Georgia agreed

"Didn't you say that there'd be six of us?" Nate asked Chris

Chris nodded, "Yeah, we're meeting Paige and Brenno at Harold's" he replied

Kyle rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, Paige" he grumbled

"Don't be like that" Chris insisted, "She's not that bad, Brenno likes her and this will be a good opportunity to get to know her - and Nate - better"

Nate smiled sheepishly, "So what are we doing about food?"

Chris pointed to the picnic baskets in the driveway, "We've got some of it, but Paige and Mark are sorting out the rest"

Nate looked puzzled, "Wait, who's Mark?"

Chris narrowed his eyes at him, then realised that he had called him 'Brenno' before, "Oh, sorry. We call our friend Mark 'Brenno' or 'Brennan', which is his last name" he explained, "But I'm not actually sure why we do it"

Nate shook his head dismissively, "It's ok, I've got friends who I address by their surnames or some kind of nickname" he assured him, "I used to call my old friend Thomas 'Pony'"

Nate broke off suddenly as he was reminded of the funeral and was overcome with anxiety that he had revealed too much to these strangers, "It's a long story" he muttered, "Should we get going?"

The other three nodded in agreement, but were bemused by Nate's sudden change of mood. Despite this, he seemed like a nice guy so Kyle and Georgia inwardly gave him their stamp of approval, though they were going to keep an eye on him just to make sure he was the right guy for Chris. Chris excitedly led the group to Harold's where he introduced Nate to Paige and Mark. Nate already felt overwhelmed by the day's events, although the day had only just begun. He knew that he had struggles ahead, but Nate was determined to enjoy the date and not to let other concerns get in the way of enjoying the picnic.

* * *

**_27th August (Chris and Nate's first kiss)_**

Nate felt the tension drain from his body as Chris' lips met his in a gentle but assured manner. In all honesty, he had wanted to kiss him long before their moonlit walk - probably from the moment they shook hands - but he knew it would sound clichéd and slightly creepy if he was to admit it aloud. Nate was disappointed when Chris pulled away from him, but he was met with sparkling blue eyes and a shy smile which quelled his displeasure somewhat.

After a few moments Chris looked worried, "Wait, was that ok?" he asked quietly

Nate shook his head, "No" he breathed, causing Chris to panic, "It was better than ok"

Chris exhaled in relief and glanced to the floor coyly, "I was just worried that I'd overstepped the mark or something"

Nate shook his head, "Nope, the mark needed stepping over"

Chris let out a laugh, "I'm glad" he replied, then glanced around, "though we should probably move out of the doorway before we get whacked by the door when people come in"

"Or before we give them a fright" Nate interjected

"Exactly" Chris agreed, then grasped his hand and led him towards the bar, "Are you up for a drink?"

Nate nodded and Chris pointed over to the sofa area, "In that case, could you bagsie that sofa for us?" he babbled, then paused before tentatively adding, "And don't take off again please"

Nate sniggered, "I won't" he assured Chris gently, and he really meant it.

xxx

"**_I'd love to hear all about it. I mean, if you feel comfortable"_**

As Nate held Chris' gaze, he knew that he could trust him: there was something about the young man that drew Nate towards him. Whether it was his optimism, calm disposition or empathetic nature, Nate wasn't sure, but he did feel comfortable telling him about his past.

"I used to be a soldier" he admitted after a lengthy pause

Chris blinked at him in surprise, "Really?"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, I served in Afghanistan for a while"

"Until Australia had to withdraw, right?" Chris realised quietly, and Nate nodded again, "I remember reading about that last year"

"Yeah, I knew there was a lot of opposition but I honestly loved it there" Nate told him wistfully

Chris was concerned by Nate's melancholy expression, "Really?"

Nate nodded, "To be honest, I was a bit of a dunce in high school-"

Chris snorted, "I highly doubt that"

"Well I got through it, but I'm no Einstein" Nate clarified, "I didn't want to be stuck doing menial jobs like my mates. You know, I wanted to actually **do **something and make a difference. That's why I enrolled in the army. It gave me a vocation, a life and a purpose that I guess I was lacking before"

Chris was taken aback by Nate's heartfelt confession, but swallowed his feelings.

"So what brought you to Erinsborough?" he asked

"One of the soldiers that I served with died recently, and his funeral was being held nearby" Nate told him

"I'm really sorry" Chris whispered

Nate shook his head, "It's ok" he reassured him, "Unfortunately it's a common thing that I've had to deal with over the years"

Chris nodded in understanding and glanced away uncomfortably.

Nate sensed his uneasiness and sat up, "Sorry if that was too full-on" he apologised

Chris shook his head, "No, it's ok" he assured the worried man, "it's just a lot to get my head around"

There was an awkward silence as both Chris and Nate were inwardly concerned that this situation had already caused problems for their budding romance.

After a few moments Chris cleared his throat, "So what was the issue with Karl and Susan?"

Nate shifted uncomfortably and took out the knife from his backpack, "Susan found this" he told him, passing the knife to Chris, "A friend gave me it after we left the army"

Chris stared at the knife in his hand which had started to tremble. He looked confused, "Why didn't you just tell them the truth **then**?"

Nate looked away and shrugged, "You've just heard the truth, now you get that it's pretty difficult to tell people you barely know"

Chris shook his head, "You managed to tell me, a virtual stranger" Chris pointed out, inwardly cursing himself at the carelessness of his responses, "Surely you can tell Karl and Susan, they're your family"

Nate considered this, "I'm not sure that I can" he murmured

Chris nodded, "You can" he reassured him, "They're the most understanding people I know, and I'm sure they'll be ok with it"

Nate glanced at him, seeming unconvinced. Chris avoided his eyes and returned the knife to him.

"You should do it sooner rather than later" he told Nate quietly, feeling overwhelmed by the situation and secretly wanting to be left alone for a while.

Nate nodded in understanding - realising that Chris was struggling - and he stood up.

"Yeah, you're right" he murmured, then looked down at him, "Thank you for all of this. Wish me luck"

Chris shook his head, "You don't need luck, you'll be fine" he replied shakily.

Nate smiled gratefully before heading out. Mark and Kyle passed him on their way in and gave him a brief wave, but were surprised by Nate's grim facial expression. Chris sighed and stood up as the other men approached.

"Hey dude" Kyle greeted, "Whoa, you and Nate are wearing the same expression, what happened?"

Chris was conflicted as to whether or not he should tell Kyle and Mark what Nate had confided in him. On the one hand, Nate had told him in confidence and he probably wouldn't appreciate him gossiping. However, Chris knew that he could trust his friends and this was a situation where he needed to discuss the information in order to make sense of it and deal with it properly.

"Are you alright?" Mark asked worriedly

Chris shrugged, "I don't know" he admitted softly, "Nate's just told me something pretty intense and I'm not sure how I feel or what I should do"

Mark and Kyle smiled sympathetically at him and led him over to the bar to buy him a drink and provide whatever support they could offer their friend who was clearly struggling with whatever had happened.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks again 'Guest' for the prompt. I was immediately inspired and enjoyed writing this, and I hope you enjoyed this too. As usual, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know._


	13. Chapter 13

**Musical Talents**

_Prompted by 'neighboursfan27', this is a one-shot set around Christmas 2014 where Nate finds that Chris can play the guitar._

* * *

Georgia watched Chris practicing the songs that he was supposed to learn for the concert. She was guiding him through it and offering him advice but in all honesty, she felt a twinge of jealousy and wanted to be sitting there playing the guitar instead. Kyle was lounging next to her on the sofa, chipping away at some wax to make the candlesticks. He glanced at his wife out of the corner of his eye and realised what she was thinking. After Chris finished playing 'Silent Night', Georgia smiled weakly.

"You're sounding better" she murmured, approaching him.

"Thanks" Chris breathed, then stretched his right hand. Although he had slightly more control over it since the attack, his hand definitely wasn't as strong as it used to be, and he was concerned about whether he would be up to standard when he returned to work in the New Year.

"It's a shame you're not joining in" Kyle commented to Georgia, still engrossed in the wax

Chris nodded in agreement but Georgia shook her head, "It's fine" she replied casually, "My voice just isn't as strong as it used to be"

Chris looked confused, "But that doesn't stop you from playing the keyboard like Karl suggested"

Georgia glanced away uncomfortably and Chris realised, "It's about the whole 'performing' thing, isn't it?"

Georgia shrugged before admitting, "Just the thought of getting back onstage reminds me of my singing career, and everything's different now"

Chris smiled at her gently, "Look, my hand still isn't strong enough, but this concert's supposed to be about having fun, celebrating Christmas as a community" he pointed out before teasing, "Where's your community spirit, George?"

Georgia scoffed, "I dressed up in a ridiculous elf costume last week!" she argued, "If that's not showing 'community spirit' then I don't know what is"

"But that was the Hospital's idea" Kyle pointed out, "And it was part of your job"

"Plus, this concert is to raise money for the sick kids in Hospital" Chris interjected, "So it's technically the same cause but you don't have to dress up as an elf this time"

Georgia sniggered, "Ok, I'll think about it"

Chris grinned smugly, "Good"

Georgia pointed at the music sheets on the coffee table, "How about you try 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' again?"

Chris nodded before picking up the paper and propping it up against a book. As he began to play, Nate entered and glanced around the room. He noticed the small pile of wax and Kyle trimming away next to it, as well as Georgia watching Chris playing the guitar. He felt a sense of déjà vu as he recalled walking into a similar situation a couple of months earlier. Chris glanced up and noticed Nate's presence, then abruptly stopped playing. Kyle and Georgia looked up to spot Nate as well and there was an awkward silence.

Nate cleared his throat, "This is like the second time I've walked in on you three doing something weird"

The other three giggled at the memory of Nate walking in on them trying to set up a romantic atmosphere back in October.

"Don't worry" Georgia assured him, "We're just helping Naomi prep for the carols concert"

Nate nodded in understanding, "Is she still looking for helpers?" he enquired

Georgia nodded fervently, "Absolutely, I mean she approached Karl so she must have been desperate. In fact, I think she's about to resort to begging"

Kyle nodded, "You could help me with this" he suggested, "You seem like a handy kind of guy"

Nate shrugged, "Well I'll ask Naomi if there's anything in particular that she wants me to do first, then I'll give you a hand"

Kyle grinned at him, "thanks" he replied, then jumped up, "I need more wax" he announced, "I think there's some at the yard"

Georgia stepped towards him, "I'll go with you" she offered - still feeling jealous and wanting to get out of watching her friend playing the guitar - then turned back to Chris, "You'll be ok practicing on your own?"

Chris nodded, "Yeah, go ahead. I'll get these songs perfected"

"I'm sure you will" Georgia smirked before following her husband out.

Chris scoffed and shook his head in despair before smiling at Nate.

Curiously, Nate walked towards him, "I never knew you played the guitar"

Chris shrugged, "Well I'm no Jimi Hendrix, but I've been playing for a few years now"

"You've never mentioned it" Nate commented, "Even before the attack you never serenaded me with a song"

Chris laughed, "It was just a bit of a hobby. I only got into it in the first place because of a friend"

"Really?"

Chris nodded, "Have I told you about the car accident I was in back in 2012?"

Nate thought to himself, "I think so. You mentioned that Paul tried to sue you and Andrew got epilepsy because of it"

Chris nodded gravely, "Well Andrew's cousin, Sophie, was a passionate musician who wanted to go to the concert that we were all heading to" he began, "We let her ride with us, but that meant overloading the car. So when we crashed, she was the most badly injured. Afterwards she blamed her injuries on her love of music and refused to play the guitar again. I hated the fact that she did that, so I entered an 'Open Mic' contest and convinced her to help me out. Eventually she realised what I was doing, but I'd managed to get her to play her guitar again, and she loved it"

Nate smiled at him fondly, "That was really sweet of you"

Chris shook his head, "It was the least I could do. I mean, I nearly killed her" he pointed out, then hesitated sadly, "I nearly killed all of us. None of it was her fault; the accident was caused by too many distractions and a lack of concentration. She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time"

Nate nodded sombrely, "I'm sorry you went through all of that"

Chris shrugged, "I'm just sorry I put them through all of that. Everyone's lives changed after the accident. Andrew's epilepsy, Sophie's injuries, and me and Summer having PTSD"

There was a pause and Chris glanced at Nate, "Not that I'm comparing my experiences to yours, your situation is totally different"

Nate shook his head, "No, I get what you mean" he reassured him, "It's actually nice to have someone who understands"

Chris smiled at him before studying the music again. Nate cleared his throat and tried to change the subject.

"So you're helping Karl out?" Nate clarified

Chris nodded, "Yeah, I'm fulfilling my lifelong dream of playing in 'The Right Prescription'" he announced sarcastically

Nate laughed, "Well it's just Christmas Carols, not 'Everybody, Let's get Happy', so it doesn't really count as the band"

Chris grinned, "Yeah, I wouldn't want to steal his thunder or anything"

Nate rolled his eyes, "No-one can steal Karl Kennedy's thunder, not in the music stakes anyway"

Chris laughed in agreement and Nate watched him expectantly

"What?" Chris asked, noticing Nate's expression

Nate glanced at the pile of music sheets, "Aren't you gonna serenade me?"

Chris chuckled, "Ok, if you don't mind Christmas carols"

Nate shook his head, "As long as it's not 'Jingle Bells', I'll be ok"

Chris giggled, remembering Nate's story about singing 'Jingle Bells' to a horse when he was in Afghanistan, then started playing 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. Nate was impressed by Chris' music skills, but wondered whether there was anything else that he hadn't told him yet, though Nate realised that it was quite hypocritical of him considering everything that he kept hidden from Chris. Intently, he watched Chris furrow his brow as he tried to read the music whilst playing, and Nate thought he looked insanely cute.

However, he suddenly wondered how long this mellow time in their relationship would last and what 2015 would bring for them. After all, Chris' friend Lucy was due to visit in the New Year, and Chris had to decide whether or not he was going to accept her offer to be the father of her child. Nate sensed tough times ahead and desperately hoped that they would survive it. Nate shook his head dismissively, trying not to think about the future too much, and instead to just enjoy the moment.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'neighboursfan27' for the prompt: I hope this was close to what you were expecting. I wanted to make reference to Chris' experiences with PTSD (which the show forgot about) and Nate's story about 'Mister Ed' (which was great). Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome._


	14. Chapter 14

**Departure**

_To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of Chris' exit, though it did work quite well. I wrote this one-shot several weeks before his departure so the context is slightly different. In this scenario, Chris is leaving for good and hasn't gone to his parents' house for the night; instead they are picking him up from Ramsay Street the following morning._

* * *

Chris stood on the top step in the living room of number 26 and slung his backpack over his shoulder. Gazing around the room, memories flashed before him of some of the more notable events that had happened over the last 28 months of living in the house. He remembered offering to take the spare room, and having to bribe Kyle with his mum's Moussaka in order to get it. He also remembered the many nights of playing video games with Kyle and all of the inside jokes that they had developed, as well as trying to help Kyle while he was blind. He was taken aback as he realised that he had collapsed in the garden three times in two years and fondly remembered the amazing Christmas dinners that they had all shared together. The people that he had lived with had seen him through some of his toughest times and had become like a second family to him. Chris' eyes glistened at the thought of leaving everything behind: his friends, family and all of the memories.

He was brought out of his trance by Kyle and Georgia, who had insisted on helping him carry his bags. They noticed Chris' thoughtful expression and shared a knowing look.

"You alright, dude?" Kyle asked carefully

Chris nodded, "yeah, I'm just remembering all of the stuff that's happened here over the years"

Kyle looked around, _"_yeah, it's been pretty chaotic" he noted, before glancing back at his friend, "it's strange to think you almost didn't move in" he recalled, then hesitated before choking out, "but I'm really glad you did because you became the best mate I've ever had"

Chris smiled, "Yeah, same here"

Kyle put the bags that he was holding down on the floor before pulling Chris into a hug.

Georgia smiled at them for a moment then grimaced, "Ok, come on guys" she commanded, trying to lighten the atmosphere, "My arms are gonna fall off if I don't put these down soon. What's in here, bricks?!"

Chris and Kyle laughed as they pulled away from each other, and Chris took a deep breath before opening the door and allowing them to carry his bags out.

xxx

As they trudged down the steps outside the house, Chris stopped dead in his tracks upon spotting a familiar porcelain pig in the driveway. In unison, all three of them burst into laughter. Chris jogged over to the pig and crouched down in front of it.

"Hey Elvis" he greeted, "I haven't seen you in ages. What are you doing here?"

"It's a goodbye present" a feminine voice broke in from nearby.

Chris looked glanced to his right and noticed Susan, Karl and Nate approaching. He stood up and smiled at them.

"Susan insisted" Karl grumbled

Susan sighed, "Anything to get rid of it"

Nate raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure if he'll be allowed on the plane though"

Chris shook his head and laughed_,_ "I don't care, I'm taking him" he replied, before opening his arms out to them, "thanks guys"

Karl, Susan, Nate and Chris hugged for a few moments.

"How are you getting to the airport?" Susan asked as they pulled away

"My folks are taking me, they're on their way" Chris responded

Karl pulled a face, "Oh, well we were gonna offer to take you"

Chris smiled, "Thanks, but mum wanted to be the last person I saw before going to New York, and I can't turn her down"

Susan nodded in understanding, "Well just make sure you take care of yourself-"

"-And Lucy, and your kid" Karl interjected

Chris nodded, "I will"

Susan smiled at him and offered Kyle and Georgia help with the bags that they were carrying, leaving Nate and Chris standing awkwardly.

After a few uncomfortable moments Chris sighed, "I can't believe this is actually happening"

Nate shook his head, "Me neither" he replied

"I hate the way things ended between us" Chris murmured

Nate nodded, "Me too, but it was for the best" he paused, "I just wish I could have given you what you wanted"

Chris shrugged, "Don't worry about it" he replied dismissively, "I can't force you to go to New York and be a parent when you don't want that, the same way I can't stay here when my child would be in America. Don't apologise for doing what you want"

Nate held his gaze for a moment, "I'm gonna miss you like crazy" he breathed

Chris nodded, "Yeah, me too"

At that moment, a car drove into the street and Chris glanced at it regretfully, "There's my folks" he noted, then took a deep breath, "this is it I guess"

Nate nodded and Chris smiled weakly, "Don't forget me"

Nate shook his head, "I won't, I never could" he assured him, "Chris, I am so sorry for-"

Chris was sick of apologies and interrupted him before Nate attempted to blame himself for ending their relationship, "Nate, please don't. I don't want our last memory of each other to be saying 'sorry'"

Nate looked away sheepishly, "What do you want it to be then?"

Chris knew that it was the last chance that he had before he left, but because they had broken up the previous day he still hesitated before replying, "This"

Chris reached out to kiss him tenderly before hugging him, "I love you so much" he whispered into Nate's shoulder

"I love you too" Nate replied, squeezing him tightly.

Eventually they let go of each other and Chris stepped away from him. He smiled at Nate reassuringly before heading over to the car where Kyle and Georgia had packed his suitcases away. Chris carefully hoisted Elvis into the back seat, which his parents watched with a puzzled expression.

"Why is there a giant floral pig in the car?" George asked, slightly amused

Chris chuckled, "It's a long story. I'll explain it on the way"

His dad shrugged, "Ok, well we'd better head off if we want to avoid the traffic" he warned his son.

Chris' face dropped in realisation of the reality that he was actually leaving, then took a deep breath and turned to face his friends.

"Thanks guys, for everything" he told them sincerely

Georgia stepped towards him and pulled him into a hug, "give Lucy our love, and make sure you send us pictures of the bub when it arrives"

"I will" Chris murmured before pulling away

Kyle tentatively hugged Chris again, "you call us as soon as you can, alright?"

Chris pulled away and nodded, unable to bring himself to say anything for fear of bursting into tears.

"Are you ready to go, Christos?" Patricia asked quietly from the passenger's seat

Chris nodded again and swallowed the lump in this throat before looking around, "I'm really gonna miss this place, I've had so many memories here. And I'm gonna miss you all so much" he announced, before glancing at Nate briefly, "I love you guys"

Kyle and Georgia nodded in agreement and encouraged him into the car. Everyone on the street called out their goodbyes and Chris waved as his parents drove off. Nate watched him tearfully before despondently heading back inside.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Like I said, I had written this several weeks before Chris' last episode, so the context was a bit different, but I hope that it still works. As always, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome._


	15. Chapter 15

**Choking**

_Although the episode showed Nate finding out about Chris choking in Paul's penthouse and going to see him, they didn't actually show their interaction which could have allowed for some comedy and cuteness, so this is how I imagined the conversation to be._

* * *

Although Nate was usually an expert at maintaining his cool in stressful situations, he started panicking the moment that he received the phone call that Chris had choked on finger food. Usually he would have laughed at the irony that his boyfriend, who loved eating, would end up choking on food. However, the fact that Georgia had to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre on him suggested that the situation was pretty serious. Even though Chris hadn't been rushed to the Hospital and was instead being kept in the first aid room at the hotel, Nate was still extremely worried about him, and hurried through Lassiter's Complex so that he could be with him.

xxx

Nate rushed into the first aid room at Lassiter's to find Chris sitting on a bed, sipping some water from a plastic cup, face pale and body trembling slightly. However, when their eyes met, Chris' whole demeanour improved and Nate sighed in relief that his boyfriend wasn't as bad as he had initially feared.

"Hey" Chris croaked, then cleared his throat, "What are you doing here?"

"Terese called me and told me what happened" he explained before kissing Chris' head, "Are you ok?"

Chris nodded, placing his cup down on the floor and looking ashamed, "Yeah, I'm just more embarrassed than anything else"

Nate raised an eyebrow, "'embarrassed', why?"

Chris glanced up at him, "Because it was supposed to be a fancy gathering in the penthouse, and I went and choked on a canapé" he scoffed before rolling his eyes, "talk about undignified"

Nate sniggered, "How can stuffing your face with canapés and then choking on one ever be 'dignified'?" he pointed out.

Chris considered this and shrugged so Nate continued, "Besides, it allowed Georgia to prove that she's an asset to the Hospital"

Chris nodded, "Well I reckon that everyone already knew that"

Nate nodded in agreement and Chris put his head into his hands before groaning, "I'm never gonna live this down, am I?"

Nate held back a laugh and shook his head, "Nope, never" he joked before kneeling down beside Chris, wrapping an arm around him and gazing into the distance, "I can already see all the memes about this everywhere!" he announced dramatically, pointing ahead of them.

Chris pulled a face, "Don't even go there"

Nate nudged him, "I'm joking!" he reassured his boyfriend, "I doubt anyone even noticed"

Chris jeered, "You weren't there" he argued, "And how could anyone not notice a waiter almost choking to death and needing the Heimlich manoeuvre?"

Nate mulled this over, "Yeah, but with the Hospital stuff and the Erinsborough Festival going on, what happened to you isn't gonna be remembered" he assured him.

Chris looked doubtful, "You think so?"

Nate nodded, "Definitely" he replied, before pausing and smiling slightly, "Just as long as you learn to eat properly"

Chris looked outraged, "I was starving!" he cried

"Why am I not surprised?" Nate murmured, "I'm not even gonna point out how ironic this whole thing is"

Chris chuckled, "Well I've learnt my lesson" he replied, "When it comes to eating, it's gonna be 'slow and steady' from now on"

"Good" Nate nodded, "In that case, are you ready to go?"

Chris nodded and Nate offered his hand to help him stand up.

"Susan's made a load of treats for us to try before the Bake-Off" Nate began, "Do you fancy some?"

Chris paused and scowled at him, "Is that supposed to be funny?"

"No" Nate retorted unconvincingly.

However, after Chris shot him a disbelieving look, Nate smiled sheepishly, "Yeah" he admitted before grabbing his hand, linking their fingers together and leading him out of the room.

xxx

"Uh, Nate, not that I don't appreciate this but I only choked on some food, I've not got the flu or anything" Chris told him as Nate passed him a glass of water. His boyfriend had set up the sofa in the living room of number 28 with blankets, DVDs and hot water bottles. Chris was flattered by the effort that he had gone to for him but was unnerved by the sense of déjà vu that he felt.

"Don't argue" Nate instructed firmly, "There could still be complications like abdominal damage or something"

Chris shook his head, "They checked me over in the First Aid room and gave me the all-clear" he reminded him, "So except for losing my dignity and my appetite - for the first time ever - I'm absolutely fine"

Nate chuckled uncertainly, "But just to be on the safe side, it's better for you to rest"

Chris opened his mouth to disagree but Susan strolled past them, "Hey, just go with it" she called out, "You should be grateful. Loads of people would kill for a partner who took care of them like this"

Chris smiled slightly, "Yeah, that's true" he murmured thoughtfully, "And I know how lucky I am"

Susan shot them a quick grin before heading into the garden.

Chris shifted uncomfortably and Nate raised an eyebrow, "What?" he asked worriedly

Chris glanced up at him hesitantly, "Thanks for this" he replied quietly, "I feel like a complete idiot for what happened earlier but you've really helped"

Nate shook his head slowly, "That's not it though, is it? There's more to it, I know there is"

Chris avoided his gaze, "Why would you think that?"

"Because I know you" Nate replied simply, "And I know when you're lying"

Chris sighed, realising that Nate was right. One of the downfalls of being in a serious relationship was definitely the fact that your partner would know when you were lying, so it was difficult to hide anything from them.

"Look, it's not that I'm not grateful for you taking care of me" he began carefully, "It's just that for a moment it felt like we'd gone back in time five months"

Nate quickly did the maths to figure out that Chris was referring to October and realised what he was implying, "You mean just after your attack?"

Chris nodded, "Yeah. You looked after me and helped with my rehab, but remember what it did to our relationship?"

Nate looked puzzled, "I thought that it strengthened it" he replied, remembering that their relationship became much more serious, particularly following Chris' seizure before they admitted their love for each other.

"Well yeah, ultimately it did" Chris admitted, "But I was really worried for us back then. It felt like you became my carer rather than my partner"

Nate considered this, "I know, but what's that got to do with this?"

Chris shrugged, "It just felt like I was back there, you know? Being looked after"

Nate scoffed, "But this is completely different" he argued, "I mean, looking at you now, you wouldn't even be able to tell that you had brain damage a few months ago"

Chris nodded, "I know, but I hated being in that position. Knowing that I used to be able to do things that I couldn't anymore. I felt helpless, and I never want to feel like that again"

Nate was taken aback, and Chris frantically tried to explain and reassure his boyfriend, "I love everything you've done for me, but this is too much" he told him whilst gesturing around himself. Nate stared at the hot water bottles and blankets, realising with regret that Chris was right: it was too much.

"I just wanted to help" he murmured

Chris smiled slightly, "I know, and it was sweet. Thank you"

Nate shrugged modestly and Chris chuckled before leaning up to kiss him.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Although I was immediately inspired by the episode, it did take me a while to write this because I wasn't sure what I should cover, but I hope that it worked. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome._


	16. Chapter 16

**Until I go to sleep**

_I was randomly inspired by Nate's line to Chris whilst he was in his coma: 'when I have bad dreams, you hug me until I go to sleep', and wanted to write the first time that it happened. This is set between the 8__th__ September (after Chris forgave Nate for shoving him against the wall) and the 12__th__ September._

* * *

Chris browsed the shelves in Harold's to find lunch for him and Nate. He was interrupted by Georgia and Sonya, who tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey" Sonya greeted, "How did it go with Nate?"

Chris smiled, "Yeah, it was good. You were right about what you said earlier, it was his army training that caused him to lash out"

"So what happened?"

"I forgave him and now we're officially a couple" Chris replied happily

"That's great, I'm really happy for you" Georgia told him unconvincingly

Chris raised an eyebrow, "Really? Because the way you said it made it sound like you meant the complete opposite"

Georgia sighed, "Look, I know that this isn't about me, but I can't help feeling uncomfortable about the prospect of hanging out with Nate after what he did"

Chris considered this, "But you know him, he's a good guy"

Georgia shrugged, "Didn't stop him doing what he did though" she replied, "I know that you can make your own decisions, and I know you wouldn't give him the benefit of the doubt if you weren't sure or if your feelings weren't so strong, but don't let those feelings make you naïve"

Chris looked confused, "What do you mean?"

"I'm just saying that your feelings for him don't give him a free pass to abuse you" Georgia explained, "You shouldn't keep forgiving him if it was to happen again"

Chris looked outraged, "It's not going to happen again"

"How can you be so sure?" she argued

"Because he promised" Chris replied

"So?" Georgia cried, "Like you said, he learnt all the violent stuff from the army and that's not something that you can just forget overnight. He can't control his emotions properly so it's pretty likely that it'll happen again, and he can't promise that it won't. He doesn't know that and neither do you"

Chris hesitated, "Maybe that's exactly why he needs a second chance" he suggested, "Someone needs to help him with it"

"But that shouldn't be you" Sonya told him softly, "And that shouldn't be the reason for you giving him another chance. He needs professional help, not just a relationship"

Chris shook his head, "That's not the only reason though" he corrected, "It's because I want to be with him, and if the relationship gives him stability then that can only be a benefit, right?"

Sonya and Georgia nodded grudgingly, "Just be careful, ok?" Georgia told him before patting his arm and walking away. Chris watched after her and Sonya sighed.

"She does have a point" Sonya admitted

Chris shrugged, "Do you think I did the right thing?"

"Only **you** know that" Sonya responded

"How?"

"Because your relationship will feel right" she replied, "If you can move past what he did and be happy with him then you've made the right decision. But if you can't, then you know that you guys shouldn't be together"

Chris considered what she had said and Sonya gave him a reassuring smile before joining Georgia. Chris was trying to figure out how he was going to test whether or not forgiving Nate was the right decision.

xxx

Chris ignored the numerous texts from Kyle, Georgia, Naomi and Sheila asking why he wanted them to stay out of the house for the evening; he reckoned that they could use their imaginations. His hands trembled as he set the table with candles and sorted out the drinks. His mobile beeped, causing him to jump slightly before reading Nate's text telling him that he was on his way. Nervously, Chris dimmed the lights in the living room and straightened the blue shirt that he was wearing. He took a deep breath as he heard Nate knock on the door, then opened it slowly. Nate entered and glanced around, confused.

"Why is it darker in here than it is outside?" he asked

Chris scoffed, "It's not** that** dark"

Nate squinted, "Well I can barely see you" he joked, "I wasn't even sure if that **was **you"

Mortified by his failed attempt to set up a romantic atmosphere, Chris blushed (luckily for him, it was so dark that Nate didn't notice) and tried to come up with an excuse that didn't involve the truth, "I'm uh, I'm trying to save energy" he mumbled

Nate raised an eyebrow, "Then you know you're supposed to turn the lights off when you **leave **a room, not while you're still in it, right?" he pointed out

Chris pulled a face and turned the lights back on, causing Nate to cover his eyes.

"Argh, the light!" he exclaimed jokingly, "it burns!"

Chris sniggered, "You think you're so funny, don't you?"

Nate smiled smugly, "From time to time, yeah" he replied

Chris shook his head dismissively and grabbed his hand, leading him to the kitchen, "Anyway, I've cooked us some dinner"

Nate looked impressed, "Wow, hidden talents"

Chris grinned in response and opened the oven. A cloud of smoke erupted from inside, causing Chris and Nate to cough.

"Or maybe not" Nate wheezed.

Chris groaned as he turned off the oven, "Everything's ruined"

Nate peered into the oven, "What was it **supposed** to be?"

"Roast chicken and roast potatoes" Chris sighed, transferring the trays from the oven to the work surface, "Though now it's charred chicken and crisps"

Nate shook his head in disbelief, "Isn't it ironic that someone who loves food so much could be so hopeless at cooking?"

Chris looked offended, "I'm usually ok" he argued, scraping the burnt food into the bin, "I just haven't had much chance to practice my roasting skills"

"Evidently" Nate interjected before heading over to the cupboard under the sink.

"What are you doing?" Chris asked, watching him curiously

Nate stood up, holding some J-cloths and oven cleaner, "Well we can't exactly leave the oven like that, can we?" he questioned, tossing a cloth at Chris before spraying the oven. Chris smiled at him gently, pleased that Nate had a sense of humour about the situation and that he was being sweet by helping him clean up the mess. He was beginning to realise that he had made the right decision about forgiving Nate, though he made a mental note to practice cooking roast dinners as soon as possible.

xxx

Chris stretched his body as he rose up from cleaning, "Thanks for helping me"

Nate shrugged, "It was no problem. Sheila would probably flip out if we'd left the oven the way it was"

"Good point" Chris sniggered before looking serious, "But this was my mess, not yours"

"Well what's yours is mine, right?" he joked

Chris chuckled and Nate suddenly looked solemn, "Just think of it as an apology"

"For what happened the other night?" Chris clarified

Nate nodded, "I know that 'sorry' doesn't cut it, so this is one of my ways of making it up to you"

Chris shook his head, "It's not about making it up to me" he informed his boyfriend softly, "When you have problems in a relationship you can't just solve it through gestures, as sweet as they may be. You actually have to work at it and talk things through"

Chris paused as he noticed Nate glance away uncomfortably, "But I know that talking about it isn't an option for you right now, so I won't force you into doing it until you're ready"

Nate nodded, "Thank you. And I promise that I will do whatever it takes to make sure that what happened the other day never happens again"

Chris smiled, genuinely thrilled by Nate's efforts to make amends. Sonya's words to him earlier about the relationship feeling right echoed in his head and in that moment he knew that he had made the correct decision.

"That's all I needed to know" Chris murmured before pulling him in for a longing kiss and moving towards the bedroom.

Nate pulled away as he caught on to what Chris was doing, "Are you sure?" he asked cautiously

Chris bit his lip and smiled coyly, "Yeah, I've never been more sure" he breathed before worriedly asking, "What about you?"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, definitely" he replied before kissing him back tenderly and letting Chris lead him into his room.

xxx

Nate panted as he shut the door behind himself. He hated taking off in the middle of the night, but after yet another dream of the little girl's smile fading as a shadow passed over her, he had to get out of there. Chris would definitely be put off their relationship by his nightmares - just like his exes were - and Nate couldn't handle the thought of that. He knew that the longer this went on for, the more problems it would cause for their relationship: he couldn't just take off in the middle of the night every time he slept with Chris, he would be sure to get suspicious. Besides, how would Nate explain this escapade? Chris would be certain to confront him about it, and Nate wasn't sure how he was going to handle it, though he knew that violence wasn't an option.

xxx

Chris stirred awake, warm and content. He rolled over expecting to see Nate, but was surprised to find that his side was empty. Chris slid out of bed, pulling on some tracksuit bottoms and a vest before emerging from his bedroom. He peered into the bathroom but Nate wasn't in there. He crept out into the living room and glanced around: Nate was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't in the kitchen making breakfast or in the garden (for whatever reason he would have for being in the garden first thing in the morning). Chris called out Nate's name several times as though he was Bossy and would frolic up to him upon hearing his name. Was it unreasonable that Chris felt offended by the fact that Nate had done a runner? He must have had a pretty decent reason for it, but he knew that Nate was quite introverted and would probably avoid explaining; even Chris wouldn't want to explain why he made a break for it if he was in his position. Chris was conflicted as to whether or not he should find out why he ran off: on the one hand he wanted to know because it was sure to affect their relationship, but he was worried that Nate would lash out at him again if he tried to ask him about it. He was beginning to think that perhaps the fact that he was concerned that Nate would continue being violent suggested that he wasn't quite as confident about forgiving Nate and taking him back as he had first thought.

xxx

Despite Chris accepting Nate's offer to walk him to work, neither of them mentioned Nate's escapade the previous night and instead talked and joked about anything else they could think of until they reached the garage. From his yard next door, Kyle watched them suspiciously, in particular studying Nate's actions, even down to the chaste – and slightly awkward – kiss they shared as they said their brief goodbyes. After Nate left, Kyle headed over to Grease Monkeys to pick up some breakfast for him and Chris. Once Chris had changed into his overalls, Kyle had returned with the coffees and snacks. After making their usual small talk, Kyle noticed Chris' shifty demeanour.

"So how did it go last night?" Kyle asked nonchalantly

Chris looked surprised by the question so Kyle elaborated, "Well if your text wasn't obvious enough, Georgia telling me that you forgave Nate kind of confirmed what was going on"

Chris shrugged uncomfortably and Kyle was concerned, "What happened?"

Chris glanced away and Kyle stepped forwards to reassure him, "You can tell me, you know"

Chris looked at him, "He bailed" he admitted, "I woke up this morning and he wasn't there"

Kyle looked taken aback, "Whoa, that's weird" he responded, then thought to himself, "Wait, it wasn't his first time, was it? I mean, he might have freaked out-"

Chris shook his head, "No, it couldn't have been" he argued, "He was way too… confident"

Kyle pulled a face, "Thanks for the over-share, mate"

Chris looked annoyed, "Come on, it's not like I gave you any details" he pointed out, then sighed, "I thought we were ok"

Kyle looked puzzled, "Didn't you guys talk about it when he walked you here?"

Chris shook his head, "No, I was going to wait until he mentioned it but he never did"

"Can you blame him?" Kyle cried, "So it didn't occur to you to bring up the subject?"

Chris shifted uncomfortably, "Well asking questions is what caused this mess in the first place" he retorted, "I guess I was worried about what would happen if I confronted him about this"

Kyle nodded in understanding but was frustrated, "But if you're too scared to ask him about something like this, how can you claim that your relationship's 'ok'?"

Chris shrugged, "Because I thought I made the right decision about forgiving him" he admitted, "And now I'm not so sure"

"Then you need to figure this out" Kyle suggested firmly, "You can't be having these massive unresolved issues in a relationship, trust me"

Chris nodded grudgingly and tried to come up with a way to sort out their newest relationship problem before it accumulated beyond repair.

xxx

Chris was slightly surprised when Nate agreed to have dinner with him that evening. Hopefully he wouldn't catch on to Chris' plan to test whether Nate running away the previous night was a one-off or whether it was an actual problem that needed to be sorted out.

Nate, meanwhile, tried desperately to think of an excuse to use so that he didn't have to stay the night with Chris. The previous night had been a disaster: he didn't mean to run off, but it had become an instinct whenever he had a nightmare and he didn't want to scare Chris. However, Nate was determined not to be in a situation like that until he could get his bad dreams sorted out, no matter how long it took.

After their meal at The Waterhole, Chris invited Nate back to number 26 for some drinks, which Nate accepted, oblivious to his plan. Later that night, Chris and Nate were on Chris' bed, bodies intertwined while they kissed lustfully. As Chris snaked his hand down Nate's body to fiddle with the zip on his jeans, Nate realised that this would lead to a repeat performance of the previous night and needed to stop it before it happened again. Hastily, Nate grabbed Chris' hand to impede its movement and Chris broke away suddenly.

"Are you ok?" he breathed worriedly

Nate wasn't sure how to respond and sat up, "Sorry, I've just had a really long day at the nursery" he murmured feebly

Chris was unconvinced by his boyfriend's claim and realised that Nate was making excuses. However, he was too scared to confront Nate about what was going on in fear of being attacked again. Instead he swallowed heavily and nodded, "It's ok" he reassured him quietly.

"I should probably go" Nate babbled as he practically jumped off his bed.

Chris fought the urge to stop him and instead smiled weakly, "Yeah, just make sure you rest up and I'll see you tomorrow"

Nate nodded and forced a smile in return, "Yeah, see you" he mumbled before hurrying out of the room. Chris stood up to shut the door and rested his head against it. He had no idea what he was supposed to do to fix this problem and was concerned for their future together. However, he had promised Nate that he wouldn't pressure him into discussing anything he wasn't comfortable with until he was ready - which was clearly the case here - and he was going to stick to that for however long was necessary.

xxx

"_**I have bad dreams. Really bad"**_

Chris was grateful that Nate had finally opened up to him about why he ran off. He understood how difficult nightmares were to deal with, especially if they affected the relationship in the same way that it affected theirs. Chris had dealt with nightmares in the past, but he knew that they were nothing compared to what Nate must have been dreaming about. However, he hoped that one day Nate would tell him about the content of his nightmares so that he could help him deal with it. Despite the warning, Chris was taken aback when he heard Nate's heavy panting next to him. Startled, Chris sat up and watched as Nate hugged his knees with his eyes squeezed shut. Unsure what he was supposed to do, Chris tentatively rubbed his boyfriend's arm to soothe him.

"It's ok" Chris whispered, "I'm here"

Nate nodded as he tried to subdue his deep breathing. Chris wrapped one arm around Nate to rub his back gently whilst the other hand caressed Nate's clenched fists. Eventually Nate's breathing became shallower and he swallowed heavily, opening his eyes.

"I'm sorry" he gasped out

Chris shook his head, "Don't be" he reassured him quietly, "Just keep taking deep breaths"

He desperately wanted to know what Nate's nightmares were about because he knew that talking about bad experiences helped to understand them and move on. After all, he had been in a position similar to Nate a few times over the past couple of years such as the attack at the garage, the car crash he was involved in and his downward spiral after Hudson's imprisonment. All of those things were easier to deal with after talking about them. However, he knew that his experiences didn't even begin to compare to Nate's and he had promised him that he wouldn't ask about the dreams until Nate was ready to tell him. Instead, he kept his arms wrapped around the trembling man and continued to hold him whilst he controlled his breathing. Eventually Nate's eyes fluttered closed and his head gently dropped onto Chris' shoulder. Sensing that Nate was drifting off to sleep again, Chris gradually laid Nate back down onto the bed but kept his arms around his boyfriend's body whilst they both slept in a spooning embrace.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! There were a few points that I wanted to explore which the show didn't: Nate lashing out at Chris (although I really liked the conversation between Chris, Kyle and Georgia, the situation just wasn't delved into enough), Chris and Nate's first time (it was never clear on screen when that actually happened) and Nate's nightmares, so I hope I've done it justice. As always, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome!_


	17. Chapter 17

**Family Dilemma**

_Requested by 'aphass', this one-shot is set in early November (just after the climax of the coward-punch storyline) and covers Chris telling Nate about his family, as well as Nate meeting Chris' dad._

* * *

Chris sighed as he hung up the phone. Nate entered from the kitchen, carrying a couple of mugs of tea. Noticing Chris' worried expression, Nate was confused.

"Was that your mum?" he asked as he handed Chris a mug, remembering that Chris had been anxious about his mum since her outburst after the court hearing.

Chris shook his head, "No, it was my dad actually" he replied as he took the mug from Nate, "He's back from Greece and mum filled him in on everything that's been going on. Obviously he got the more biased version of events"

"What did he say about it?"

"Not much, though that's hardly surprising since my dad's never really had a way with words" Chris grumbled, "He just said that we need to have a family meeting as soon as possible so that we can talk this through all together"

"And why is that such a bad thing?" Nate asked before taking a sip of his drink

Chris hesitated, "Dad and I have never really seen eye-to-eye, especially after I came out" he explained, "It started improving recently, but I'm worried that he'll take my mum's side against me in this and it'll push us further apart, and they'll make me feel like I'm in the wrong"

Nate shrugged, "Well you know that you did the right thing" he pointed out, "Remember the reaction that Toadie got when he was representing Josh? Not everyone is going to be happy about everything, but at the end of the day we just have to accept it and move on"

Chris smiled slightly, "Yeah, you're right" he sniggered, then frowned, "But try telling my parents that"

"I can if you want" Nate responded

Chris raised his eyebrows, "I was kind of joking, but actually that's a good idea"

xxx

Nate's head turned from side to side almost comically as he watched the conflict unfold between Chris and his parents. He wouldn't admit it but he was slightly amused by the situation: he now realised where a lot of Chris' traits came from, just in the first few moments of watching them all together.

He could tell by George's firm handshake and his polite but short 'good to meet you' that he was extremely focused on the tough situation, but he seemed friendly enough.

Similarly to her reaction after the court hearing, Patricia was still upset about the result, "Your father agrees that you shouldn't have let Josh get away with it"

"How many times do I have to tell you that he didn't 'get away with it'?" he questioned, "He got community service and a suspended sentence"

George sighed, "But that's not enough for almost taking your life" he argued, "You ended up with a brain injury, you can barely move your right hand and your job's in jeopardy, talk about 'disproportionate punishment'"

"But I consider myself pretty lucky" Chris began, "Not only do some victims not survive, but a lot of the time the perpetrators aren't remorseful at all, and actually get off on the power"

"That still doesn't justify why you changed your statement so that he didn't get sent to prison" Patricia cried

"Because I forgive him" Chris admitted, "We talked about it afterwards and I explained that I knew that it was an accident and that he didn't deserve to go to prison on top of the guilt that he was feeling"

"But guilt doesn't make up for what he did to you" George argued

"But **he's** made up for it" Chris maintained, "He delivered food parcels to my door, he took care of the garage in an attempt to save my job and he got injured doing it, and he sold loads of his possessions so that he could set up a bank account for me to use"

George and Patricia shared an awkward glance, realising that Josh had gone above and beyond to help him.

"Looking back, I feel guilty that I rejected him doing that" Chris continued, "I thought he was just trying to make himself feel better, but it was his way of apologising and trying to help me recover. Does that sound like some kind of thug or criminal to you?"

Patricia and George shook their heads reluctantly, whilst Nate smiled reassuringly at Chris.

Nate leant forwards, "Look, the main thing to take from this is that everyone has a second chance here" he began, "Unfortunately we can't go back in time, but it's over now so we just have to move on"

"Is it really 'over' though?" George asked, "Chris has still got his injuries, and he and Josh live in the same street so they have to see each other all the time"

Nate considered this, "There's still a long road ahead, yeah, and it's going to be difficult" he agreed, "But that's exactly why you guys all need to be on the same page, so that you can support each other"

Patricia and George exchanged a small smile and Chris squeezed Nate's hand gratefully.

xxx

Chris and Nate headed over to the bar to order the next round of drinks. Chris let out a deep breath as they were waiting and smiled gratefully at Nate.

"Thank you" he murmured

Nate raised an eyebrow, "What for? You did most of the hard work"

"Yeah, but you're the one who got them on side" Chris argued, "And just having you here with me is great"

Nate shrugged, "Well you know I'd do anything for you, right?" he clarified, "I love you"

Chris felt his heart skip a beat like it did the first time Nate had said that and he smiled at him tenderly, "I love you too"

George approached them and overheard their conversation as well as witnessing Chris kissing Nate gently.

He was taken aback by what he had heard, "'Love'?" he questioned

Chris and Nate broke away awkwardly and Chris cleared his throat, "Yeah" he replied with assurance

"Do you even know what that is?" George asked offhandedly

Chris looked outraged, "What's that supposed to mean? That just because we're both guys we don't know what love is? Or that it's not love if it's between two people of the same sex, is that what you're implying?"

George shook his head, "Of course not, I-"

"Do** you **even know what it is?" Chris interrupted, still fuming, "Because if you did then you wouldn't have almost walked out on your family when we needed you the most, you wouldn't have made it ten times harder for me to come out than it already was, and you wouldn't have made me feel like a complete failure my entire life! So you have **no** right to lecture me about 'love'"

There was a lingering pause as George and Patricia looked ashamed before Chris scoffed, "Come on Nate" he commanded as he took Nate's hand and led him out of The Waterhole. Patricia shook her head in mortification at her husband, who let out a deep breath.

xxx

Nate stopped Chris as he stormed through the complex, "Don't you think you were a bit harsh back there?"

Chris spun around to face him, aghast, "'A bit harsh'?" he repeated incredulously, "Didn't you hear what he said?"

Nate nodded, "You heard what he **said**, but not what he **meant**"

Chris looked confused, "What are you talking about?"

Nate paused, "He didn't mean it in the way that you think he did"

"How did he mean it then?" Chris argued

"Maybe you could ask him" Nate suggested as he pointed over to The Waterhole where George was rushing out towards them, "You should hear him out"

Chris glared at him, then took a deep breath as he realised that his boyfriend had a point.

George stopped several feet away from his son, "Look, I'm sorry for what I said in there" he apologised hastily, "I didn't mean for it to sound so, you know…"

"Homophobic?" Chris interjected

George nodded, "I was just worried about you"

Chris pulled a face, "Worried about me being in love?"

George shook his head, "This whole thing is so overwhelming" he began, "You know, we almost lost you several weeks ago, then we find out that you're in a committed relationship with a guy that I've only just met, and I overhear you saying that you love each other; it's just a lot to take in"

Chris considered this but was still puzzled, "So you think that we don't know what love is because…?" he prompted

"This is all happening so quickly" George explained, "And you two have only been together a few months"

"But after everything we've been through, it just proves our feelings even more" Nate argued

George nodded, "I know, and I'm sorry for doubting you" he apologised, "Based on what I've seen and heard, I know that you two are good together. And if you're happy together then I'm happy for you, and I mean that"

Chris gazed at George for a moment, a small smile creeping onto his face, "Thanks dad" he finally replied, before hugging him tightly. Nate watched this happily, pleased to have helped their crisis in some way.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'aphass' for the request: I hope this was close to what you were hoping for and that you (and everyone else) enjoyed it. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome!_


	18. Chapter 18

**Return**

_Prompted by 'neighboursfan27' and set late 2015/early 2016, this covers Chris' (albeit brief) return to Erinsborough following the birth of his child. Obviously a lot of the details are my own invention, so continuity-wise, it's a bit vague and not entirely accurate, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!_

* * *

Susan was slightly unnerved by the grin on Paul's face as he approached her in the complex.

"Merry Christmas" he greeted cheerily as he slowed down

Susan quirked an eyebrow, "Merry Christmas" she replied suspiciously, wondering why he was in such a jolly mood.

"Have you heard about Lucy?" he asked

Susan shook her head, "Why? What's happened?"

"She's had her baby girl" Paul announced, still grinning

Susan smiled in return, "That's great!" she exclaimed, then paused, "Wait, why would you think that I'd already know about it?"

Paul shrugged, "I thought that maybe Chris would have told Nate and Nate would have told you or something" he replied casually

Susan shook her head, "Well considering that they broke up because of the baby, I doubt that Chris would have told him about it"

Paul considered this, "Good point" he agreed

Susan shook her head dismissively, "Anyway, when did she have her?"

"Last night" Paul replied, "Chris only called me about an hour ago though"

"Have they chosen a name yet?"

Paul nodded, "They've decided on Katie Natalia Robinson-Pappas"

Susan smiled fondly, "'Katie' after Kate? That's lovely" she commented

Paul nodded thoughtfully, "I'm just glad she has 'Robinson' in her name"

Susan scoffed, "As if they'd get away with **not** using it" she pointed out

Paul nodded, "Yeah, I'd have made sure that she's a Robinson"

Susan chuckled, "I'm sure you would have. So are you going to visit them at some point?" she questioned

Paul shook his head, "Actually, they're coming back to Erinsborough in the new year" he revealed excitedly

Susan was surprised, "Really? With a newborn?"

Paul nodded, "Well Chris' parents celebrate Christmas in January and they're insisting on seeing the baby so they're popping back for a visit"

Susan smiled, "That's great" she responded softly, "Make sure you take lots of pictures"

Paul grinned, "I will. I've made sure that I've got plenty of space on my phone to store them"

Susan laughed before saying her farewells and heading back home. However, on her way back, she deliberated whether or not she should tell Nate about his ex's immanent return, and was conflicted about her decision.

xxx

Kyle was annoyed by the sound of knocking on the front door around midnight. Tiredly, he staggered to the door and opened it to reveal Chris on the other side. Kyle's eyes widened in disbelief upon seeing his friend opposite him, "What are you doing here?" he exclaimed

Chris looked offended, "Cheers, mate" he began sarcastically, "I've just flown halfway across the world with a screaming baby and **this** is the welcome I get!"

Kyle laughed and opened the door wider for him to enter, "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting to see you"

Chris shrugged, "I wanted it to be a surprise"

"Well it was definitely that" Kyle chuckled, "It's great to see you"

"You too" Chris replied

"I take it you're back to see your parents" Kyle enquired

Chris nodded, "They're desperate to meet baby Katie" he replied

Kyle smiled, "They're not the only ones" he responded, "I still can't believe you have a daughter"

"Me neither" Chris exhaled, "She's only a couple of weeks old but I'm already exhausted"

Kyle chuckled, "I take it that Lucy's got the baby then"

Chris looked worried, "I hope so, otherwise we've got a problem" he joked

Kyle sniggered before asking, "So how long are you in the area for?"

Chris pulled a face, "Probably not too long, it's only supposed to be a fleeting visit"

Kyle nodded in understanding, "Well you know that there'll always be room for you here, right?"

Chris nodded gratefully before pulling Kyle into a hug, genuinely pleased to be back in Erinsborough.

xxx

Kyle was slightly taken aback to find Chris eating at the kitchen table early the following morning.

"Wow, this is early for you" Kyle commented

Chris shrugged, "I'm still a bit jet lagged" he admitted whilst glancing at his mobile, "My body thinks it's lunch time"

"That explains why you're eating a sandwich" Kyle pointed out, "Unless that's just what Americans do"

Chris chuckled, "Well 'brunch' is quite popular over there"

Kyle smiled, "That's suits you down to the ground then"

Chris sniggered, "Do you want me to make you one?"

Kyle shook his head, "No thanks, I'm going to have some toast like a normal human being"

Chris pulled a face at him and checked his mobile before returning to his sandwich.

After a few moments, Kyle broke the comfortable silence, "So apart from preparing for the baby, what else have you been up to these last nine months?"

Chris shrugged, "Mainly work" he replied quietly before glancing at him, "Actually, you'll be quite pleased to know that I've learnt something from your trade"

Kyle glanced at him, bemused, "Oh yeah?" he enquired

Chris nodded, "I managed to put together a steady cot" he revealed proudly, "And it only took me three attempts"

Kyle laughed, "Third time lucky, huh?"

Chris nodded and picked up his mobile as Kyle joined him at the table.

"How's your hand by the way?"

Chris glanced up at him then put his mobile down and stretched his right hand, "No problem" he responded, "I mean, it's been over a year since the attack but it's almost like it never happened"

Kyle smiled, "I'm glad" he told him honestly, "Are you getting back into mechanics then?"

Chris shrugged, "I've been thinking about it and although I loved being a mechanic, it's not right for me at the moment" he began, glancing at his mobile again, "At Lassiter's I've got a stable job that pays well so I can provide for my family better than I could if I was working at a garage. You know, I might go back to it one day, but for now the hotel is where I should be"

Kyle nodded in understanding, but his eyes narrowed as he realised that Chris was distracted by something on his mobile.

Once Chris had gone to have a shower, Kyle put his plate in the sink and heard a buzzing noise from Chris' mobile. Cautiously, he approached the table before picking up the mobile and noticing that Chris had a new message from 'Jem'. Kyle placed the mobile back down and wondered who 'Jem' was.

xxx

Kyle watched as Chris picked up his mobile and smiled slightly.

"What's got you in such a good mood?" he asked casually

Chris glanced up at him, "Nothing important" he replied dismissively, "Are you around this afternoon? I'm thinking of bringing Katie over so you can meet her"

Kyle nodded eagerly, "Sounds good" he replied, "Do you want to invite a few other people? I know Gran and Nomes want to meet her, and I guess Susan and Karl would too"

Chris nodded, "Sure, let them know we'll be back around six"

Kyle hesitated, "What about Nate?"

Chris shifted uncomfortably, "I doubt he'll be interested" he replied quietly

Kyle glanced at him, "You can't avoid him, you know" he pointed out, "He lives right next door"

Chris shook his head, "I'm not avoiding him" he argued, "If we run into each other then we'll talk, but I'm not going to go out of my way to see him"

Kyle nodded, "Fair enough"

Chris suddenly cleared his throat, "Look, I should head over to the Penthouse to pick up Lucy and Katie, but I'll see you this evening"

Kyle nodded and waved as Chris left, but was concerned for his friend who was obviously hiding something.

xxx

Susan tried to hold back the coo that threatened to emerge when she laid eyes on the new baby. However, watching Chris and Lucy looking proud of their infant reminded her that she and Karl were keeping their return a secret from Nate. It wasn't intentional, but Susan wasn't sure whether Chris wanted Nate to know, or how Nate would respond to the idea of his ex being back after nine months with a baby.

"She's adorable" Kyle commented softly as he crouched in front of the carrier.

Chris smiled and chuckled as baby Katie grasped one of Kyle's fingers in her hand

"She's going to be a stunner" Susan commented

Lucy grinned, "You think so?"

Sheila nodded in agreement, "Well you two are attractive, so of course she's going to inherit that"

Lucy and Chris exchanged a pleased glance whilst Karl narrowed his eyes, "Actually, speaking of 'inheriting'" he began, "Did you pass on the spinal muscular atrophy gene to her?"

Lucy shook her head, "No, she's absolutely perfect" she replied happily

Chris nodded, "There was a one in four chance that she would have it, but it was a risk that was definitely worth taking"

Suddenly Katie began to cry and everyone laughed, "Spoke too soon" Naomi chuckled

Chris picked the baby up out of her carrier, "I think she needs to be fed"

Lucy pointed to the kitchen, "Her formula's in the bag"

Chris nodded and carried the infant to the kitchen, Lucy in tow. The others chatted amongst themselves for a few moments before there was a knock at the door. Kyle headed over to it and was taken aback to find Nate on the other side.

"Hey mate" Nate greeted, "Tyler and I are planning to head into the city and wondered whether you wanted to join us"

Kyle glanced around awkwardly, unsure how to respond, and Nate was puzzled, "What's going on?" he asked as he glanced inside to find Karl and Susan shifting uncomfortably, "What are you guys doing here?" he asked

Karl began to open his mouth when Lucy and Chris entered from the kitchen. They both stopped abruptly when they noticed Nate, and Nate stared back at them in shock. Sheila cleared her throat, "Well Katie can't be the only one needing some food, let's go and get something to eat" she rambled

Kyle, Naomi, Karl and Susan nodded as they followed him into the kitchen. Lucy gently pushed Chris in Nate's direction and Nate entered cautiously.

"Hey" Chris greeted quietly

"Hey" Nate replied, then nodded at the infant that Chris was holding, "This is the baby then?"

Chris nodded, "This is Katie"

Nate studied her, inwardly resenting the little girl in his ex's arms. Although he had initiated the break-up, he realised that he was staring down at the reason for it in the first place. He knew it was stupid to resent a baby, but he knew that if it wasn't for her, he and Chris might still have been together now.

He forced a smile onto his face, "She's cute" he replied

"Thanks" Chris responded, then glanced into the kitchen to spot the others laying out the food and acting as though they weren't eavesdropping, though both Chris and Nate knew that they probably were.

"So how have you been?" Chris asked

Nate shrugged, "Good, what about you?"

"Good, thanks" Chris replied uncomfortably, cringing inwardly at how awkward the situation was.

There was an uneasy silence before Nate suddenly asked, "How long are you in Erinsborough for?"

Chris glanced away, "We're actually planning to head back to New York first thing tomorrow"

"You never mentioned that you were coming back to visit" he noted

Chris shrugged, "It was kind of spontaneous" he replied unconvincingly, "My folks wanted to meet her, so it seemed logical to come back for a couple of days"

Nate nodded in understanding and realised that this was probably the last opportunity that he was going to have to get his feelings out in the open, "Look, Chris, there's something I need to tell you"

Chris stared at him expectantly and Nate took a deep breath, "These last nine months have been hell without you, and I st-"

Lucy suddenly raced in, holding Chris' mobile. "Chris, it's Jem"

Chris spun around to face her before glancing back at Nate regretfully, "I should probably take this" he whispered

Nate nodded, "Sure, of course"

Chris handed Katie over to Lucy in exchange for his mobile, then rushed into his bedroom to answer his phone. Nate watched after him and Kyle stepped forwards.

"Who is this 'Jem' person?" he asked, "I noticed that they sent Chris a text earlier"

Lucy swallowed heavily before admitting, "Jem is Chris' boyfriend"

Everyone in the room was slightly taken aback by the news, "How long have they been together?" Nate asked curiously

"About nine months" she replied, "They met a couple of weeks after Chris arrived and got together quite quickly"

To Nate, that sounded very similar to his history with Chris considering that they became a couple shortly after he arrived in Erinsborough, "How does he feel about the baby?" Nate questioned bitterly

Lucy shrugged, "At first he was a bit freaked out, but he and I were quite close beforehand anyway and he kind of embraced the idea after a while"

"So that's why Chris didn't come back after a couple of weeks like he said he would" Kyle realised

Lucy nodded, "Well the baby stuff and his relationship kept him pretty distracted, so those nine months flew by before we even realised"

The others nodded in understanding and Chris returned from his bedroom with a grin on his face.

"What happened?" Lucy asked, looking intrigued

"He's been trying to get through to my phone all afternoon, but the connection's been pretty dodgy from his end" Chris began, "He got the photos of Katie that we sent him and he says that he can't wait to meet her"

Lucy smiled excitedly, "That's great!" she exclaimed, then glanced between Nate and Chris awkwardly, "Uh, I told them about Jem"

Chris nodded uncomfortably, "I was gonna tell you guys"

"Is it serious?" Kyle asked, sensing that Nate wanted to ask but realised that it would make him sound jealous if he did

Chris shrugged, unsure of how to reply, "I guess"

Nate cleared his throat, "Look, it's been great seeing you guys, but I've made arrangements with Tyler so I should probably head off" he murmured, not even attempting to hide his bitterness.

Chris watched after Nate despondently as he turned around and shut the door firmly behind him.

"Awkward" Karl chanted quietly from the kitchen, receiving at swift nudge in the ribs from an irritated Susan.

xxx

Lucy noticed Nate tending to his bike outside number 28. When Chris arrived with their bags for the taxi she nodded over to him.

"You should talk to him" she suggested

A part of Chris desperately wanted to, whilst another part of him didn't, "Why?"

"Because you don't know when you'll next be back" she pointed out, "This might be the last chance you have to clear the air"

Chris nodded gravely in agreement before wandering cautiously over to Nate.

"Hey" he greeted quietly

"Hi" Nate replied, "You're off then?"

Chris nodded and Nate glanced at Lucy, who was carrying the baby, "Have a safe trip"

"Thanks" Chris murmured, then he fidgeted, "Look, I'm sorry for the weirdness last night"

Nate shook his head, "Don't worry about it, **I** was the one who turned up unannounced"

Chris shrugged, "I'm sorry I didn't invite you, or even tell you I was back in Erinsborough" he apologised, "I wasn't sure if you wanted to see me"

"I did, but if I'm being honest, I didn't really want to see the baby" Nate admitted, "She's just a reminder of our break-up"

Chris nodded in understanding, "I get that" he agreed, "Seeing you the other night did make me wonder 'what if'?"

There was a pause before Chris cleared his throat, "Actually, I was wondering what you were going to say to me last night before we were interrupted"

Nate shook his head, "It doesn't matter"

Chris raised an eyebrow, "It obviously does" he argued

Nate sighed, "Well now I knew you're in a serious relationship it'll sound a bit tactless"

"It doesn't matter, it's clearly important" Chris pointed out

Nate nodded, realising that he probably won't have the opportunity to admit his true feelings, "I wanted to say that I didn't even realise it, but even after all this time, seeing you last night made me realise that I'm still in love with you"

Chris' eyes widened slightly before confessing, "And here was me thinking that it was only one-sided"

Nate looked confused, "But you're in a committed relationship" he pointed out

Chris nodded, "I know, but you can love more than one person in different ways" he responded, "You stood by me during some of the toughest times I've ever faced, and you'll always be important to me"

"Really?"

Chris smirked, "Of course, why else would I have suggested 'Natalia' as Katie's middle name?"

Nate quirked an eyebrow, "After me?"

Chris nodded, "It was the closest female equivalent" he told him, "We wanted to use names that meant something to us, and you mean everything to me"

Nate smiled, "Same here" he replied

Lucy called over to Chris, warning him that they should set off.

Chris nodded and turned to Nate, "I'd better go" he announced, "Take care of yourself"

"You too" Nate replied, then swallowed, "I hope you and Jem will be happy together, you deserve it"

Chris smiled gratefully, then hugged Nate tightly.

"Bye Teddy" Nate murmured into his shoulder

Chris sniggered at Nate's use of the nickname that he had given him about a year earlier before he let go of him. After giving Nate a reassuring smile, he headed over to Lucy and climbed into the taxi with her and the baby. Nate watched after them, the tension inside him melting away to produce a more calm, refreshed feeling. As he retired to the house to return the oil for his bike, he felt rejuvenated somehow – like that conversation with Chris was a closure of sorts – and he was ready for whatever the future had in store for him.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'neighboursfan27' for the prompt: I actually had this idea before your prompt so I started writing it then suddenly got your suggestion, so it kind of ended up intertwining both of our ideas. Anyway, I hope that this was close to what you were expecting (and that you weren't too put off by the 'twist'; after all, I didn't like the idea of Chris sitting around mourning his relationship for nine months) and that you (and everyone else) enjoyed it. As usual, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome!_


	19. Chapter 19

**The past and the future**

_This is prompted by 'aphass' and set around the 10__th__ January. Chris tells Nate about his exes and discusses his old job as a mechanic._

* * *

Nate narrowed his eyes suspiciously as Chris emerged from one of the rooms in the Hospital followed closely behind by an attractive young male nurse. He sensed some tension between them, particularly when the nurse laid a hand on Chris' shoulder, causing it to raise slightly.

"You've made some good progress" the nurse told Chris in a gentle British accent, "Good luck with your new job, I'm sure you'll be great"

Chris smiled slightly, "Thanks"

The nurse patted his back, "Your hand shouldn't affect your work too much, but if it does cause you any problems then just pop back and we'll see what we can do"

Chris nodded, "Cheers mate" he replied quietly

"Well, I guess I'll see you around" he suggested

Chris nodded in agreement and the nurse smiled before giving a brief wave and heading over to reception. Inwardly, Chris was sceptical about the possibility of seeing him again considering that he barely saw any of his exes once they had broken up.

Nate stood up, still eyeing the nurse, "I don't think I've seen him around here before"

Chris glanced over at the nurse, "Who, Will?" he questioned, "He's just filling in for my nurse while she's off sick"

Nate sniffed, "So he has a name" he murmured

Chris nodded slowly, "Yeah, people generally do" he pointed out

Nate ignored the comment, "It just seemed like there was something weird going on between you two"

Chris shrugged and Nate was more intrigued, "Do you know him?"

Chris glanced away and tried to be as nonchalant as possible, "He was kind of the last person I dated before I met you" he admitted awkwardly

Nate looked surprised and Chris tried to reassure him, "We were only together for about a week, and he was just a rebound to be honest"

"A rebound from…?" Nate prompted

"My ex" Chris replied quietly, "But don't worry, you won't be running into **him **any time soon"

"Why not?"

Chris shifted uncomfortably, "He's in prison" he confessed, "For manslaughter"

Nate's jaw dropped slightly in shock, "Wow, that's pretty intense" he responded thoughtfully

Chris nodded, "That's one word for it" he replied grimly before glancing around, "Look, this probably isn't the best time or place to be talking about this"

Nate nodded in agreement but was reluctant to end the conversation. He wanted to know about Chris' exes: not out of jealousy, but because he was genuinely interested.

"Ok, I'll take you back home and we can talk about it on the way" he proposed

Chris was taken aback by Nate's suggestion, wondering why he wanted to know about the guys he had dated before him. Nate didn't offer an explanation, and instead prompted Chris to talk about his exes. Chris hesitantly obliged and decided to start from the beginning, telling Nate about meeting Aidan after being attacked at the garage and the struggle that he had about revealing their relationship to his parents. Nate nodded in understanding at Chris' troubles: although he hadn't gone through any experiences like that, he could empathise with Chris' worries about telling his dad about the relationship, considering what their history was like. Chris told Nate about his and Aidan's second attempt at a relationship, as well as all of the secrets that Aidan had kept from him. Again, Nate could understand Chris' anguish towards Aidan's secrecy and realising that his habits wouldn't change.

Afterwards, Chris divulged into his relationship with Hudson: starting with the drug taking, then the rivalry with Josh followed by the hit-and-run. Nate was surprised to learn of Hudson's crime as well as Chris' downward spiral of sleeping pills, one-night-stands and punching Josh, though he understood Chris' state of mind at the time. Similarly, he sympathised with Chris' subsequent conflict between his long-distance relationship with Hudson and his attraction to Will, and realised what Chris meant by Will being a 'rebound'. In some ways, Nate was pleased by that because it meant that Chris was over Hudson by the time that **they** had met, and that Nate hadn't been the first guy that Chris had dated following the end of a serious relationship. Chris reiterated that his current relationship with him was the most serious one that he had ever been in, and that he hoped that it would stay that way. Nate agreed whole-heartedly with him, also glad that he knew about Chris' dating history and that it wasn't as intimidating as he had expected.

xxx

Chris grimaced as he removed his shirt. Nate – who was lying under the covers of Chris' bed – sat up worriedly.

"Are you ok?"

Chris nodded and stretched his right hand, "Yeah, I just had hand-cramp" he muttered

"I thought those exercises were supposed to be helping" Nate pointed out

"They are" Chris replied, "According to Will, that's a sign that my hand's improving"

Nate rolled his eyes, "Well if **Will** says it, then it **must** be true" he murmured

Chris scoffed as he slumped down onto the bed beside him, "Are you jealous?" he teased

Nate folded his arms, "No" he replied unconvincingly

Chris stared at him disbelievingly and Nate shrugged before admitting, "A little"

Chris chuckled, "That's actually kind of sweet, unless you get paranoid about it I mean" he told him, "It just shows that you care"

Nate blinked at him, "Of course I care" he argued gently, "I love you"

Chris smiled, "I love you too" he responded before kissing him tenderly, "And you don't have to be jealous of any of my exes" he reassured a doubtful Nate, "Our relationship is completely different from anything I've ever experienced in my whole life and it means everything to me. What we have is the real deal… I hope" he joked

Nate sniggered and there was a pause as Chris joined his boyfriend under the duvet.

Nate glanced over at him, "So, how are you feeling about your new job?"

Chris shrugged and reached for his mobile, "Fine" he replied quietly as he checked his messages

Nate shook his head, "Come on, you can be honest" he reminded him

Chris pulled a face as he returned his mobile to the nightstand, "You'll get another wet shoulder if that happens"

Nate shrugged, "I don't care" he replied, "I know how much working at the garage meant to you, so it's ok for you to be upset"

Chris glanced at him, "Ok, I hate the thought that all the effort I put into working there has been for nothing" he confessed bitterly, "I was an apprentice for over three years and it became a huge part of my life, but in one moment it's all over"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, but it wasn't wasted" he pointed out, "You learnt a valuable skill, and it's one that you'll probably be able to do again one day if you're optimistic"

Chris considered this, "I guess"

Nate smiled slightly, "I remember how your eyes lit up when you told me about how you got inspired to be a mechanic"

Chris raised an eyebrow, "They did?"

Nate nodded, "That's part of the reason why I went ahead with the talk at Erinsborough High" he replied, "I realised how passionate you were about it, and if I could get someone to feel that passionate about working in the military, then it would be worth it"

Chris nodded slowly and linked their fingers together, "I know how lucky I am" he murmured, "Not many people leave one job and get offered another the same day"

"But it's not what you want to do" Nate gently pointed out

Chris shook his head, "I never really thought about working at a hotel until our conversation earlier" he admitted, "I spent years not knowing what I wanted to do, so when I started training as a mechanic, I knew that I'd found my career. And even though after the attack I considered the idea that I wouldn't be able to work there again, I never really let myself believe that it would actually happen"

Nate nodded, "I get that, you wanted to keep positive"

"I still do" Chris told him, "What I said to Josh earlier about looking forward to working at Lassiter's, I was telling the truth. It's a whole new adventure, a new chapter in my life – in **our** life"

Nate smiled and glanced away coyly and Chris kissed him again before letting go of his hand and rolling over with his back to his boyfriend. Nate pulled a face, "That's it?" he questioned as he realised that Chris was going straight to sleep

Chris glanced at him over his shoulder, smiling as he caught on to his insinuation, "Yeah, I've got a busy day tomorrow. I can't be having too late of a night"

"Who said anything about having a **late** night?" Nate teased

Chris turned onto his back with a wicked grin on his face and pulled him down on top of him as he kissed him passionately.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'aphass' for the prompt: I hope this was close to what you were hoping for and that you (and everyone else) enjoyed it. I wasn't sure how I was going to have Chris talking about his past relationships, so I hope my summary was ok. Obviously, not a lot about Nate's romantic past has been revealed, so I decided just to keep it about Chris instead of making up a load of information. As usual, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome!_


	20. Chapter 20

**What if/ Plugging the gaps**

_Prompted by 'neighboursgirl', this is a one-shot containing three different plots set between December 2011 and April 2012._

* * *

_**Blake Burrell **_

_Set on the 2__nd__ December 2011: what if Blake had been gay?_

Initially, Chris had laughed off Tash's suggestion about Blake being gay, but after returning to playing pool with him, he couldn't help but glance at him every now and again to figure out whether Tash's suspicions were correct. After a while, Chris decided to find out for sure.

"So, my friend Tash thinks that you play for my team…" Chris began, hoping that Blake would catch on to his insinuation so that he wouldn't have to finish his question

Fortunately he did and scoffed, "Wow, she figured it out before** you** did then?"

Chris blushed slightly, "Some people have a gift" he replied sheepishly, "I, on the other hand, do not"

Blake chuckled and Chris exhaled slightly, "I was just confused because of your dad"

Blake pulled a face, "Yeah, you'd imagine that with a gay son, he wouldn't be so homophobic"

"Coming out to him must have been really tricky" Chris noted sombrely

Blake considered this, "Well technically I didn't" he admitted

Chris looked confused, "What do you mean?"

Blake hesitated, "I was scared to come out to him, so instead I started a relationship with a guy in secret"

Chris was taken aback and Blake continued, "Dad ended up catching us in the act. I mean, that's bad enough for any parent to experience, but for a seriously conservative dad it was about a thousand times worse"

"I can imagine" Chris replied sympathetically

Blake nodded, "The sooner I can get away from him, the better"

Chris looked uncomfortable, but put his issues aside to continue their game. After nervously encouraging Blake to talk about his ex, Chris found out that he and Blake had broken up soon after and that the guy enlisted in the army, so they hadn't seen each other since. Blake was thoughtful about that, and informed Chris that he didn't want to be in a relationship based on secrets and lies, or one that was affected by his dad. Chris considered this, and hoped that none of his future relationships would fall victim to the same problem either.

xxx

Chris was pulled out of his trance by Tash, who was clicking her fingers in front of his face, "Hey Pappas" she snapped, "Are you even listening to me?"

Chris nodded distantly, "Yeah, of course"

"Then what was I just talking about?" she questioned

Chris hesitated for a few moments, "Shoes" he guessed hesitantly

Tash narrowed her eyes at him, "Fair enough"

Chris was taken aback that he was correct, though he knew that he shouldn't be. After all, Tash was his best friend, and most of their conversations shared similar subjects.

Tash sighed, "You've barely looked away from your phone all day, you know"

Chris shook his head, "I'm looking away from it now, aren't I?" he pointed out

Tash grinned, "You're texting Blake, aren't you" she teased

Chris moved his phone away, "No" he replied unconvincingly. Since he and Blake had swapped mobile numbers, they had barely stopped texting each other, and Chris was running low on power and credit for their conversation.

"Why don't you ask him out?" Tash suggested

"Because I don't want to look like an idiot" Chris replied

"Too late for that, Pappas" she argued

Chris pulled a face and Tash continued, "If you like him then just go for it. Worst case scenario he laughs in your face and it's awkward, but that's better than not doing anything then regretting it"

Chris considered this and began typing on his phone. Tash put her hand out to stop him, "No, don't do it by text, you blockhead" she cried, "That's almost as bad as **dumping** someone by text. Just ask him to meet you somewhere, and do it in person"

Chris nodded and re-wrote his text to Blake, whilst Tash watched with a smug grin on her face.

xxx

Chris waited anxiously in Lassiter's Complex for Blake, uncertain about whether this was a good idea after all. However, just as he had made the decision to give up, get up and walk off, he heard a voice greet him from several feet behind. Chris spun around to spot Blake approaching.

"Hey" Blake began, "I got your text, what's up?"

Chris stood up and cleared his throat, "Look, there was something that I wanted to ask you" he began cautiously

Blake hesitated, waiting for Chris to continue, "Well Tash thinks that-"

Blake scoffed, "Why aren't I surprised that this involves Tash?"

Chris chuckled sheepishly, "Sorry" he apologised quietly, "She's the one who pushes me to do stuff, she's a go-getter"

"And you're not?" he questioned teasingly

"Well let's just say it isn't one of my most prominent qualities" he joked

After a pause, Blake raised an eyebrow quizzically to prompt Chris, who took a deep breath to summon his courage, "Anyway, I was wondering whether you wanted to go on a date with me some time"

Blake exhaled, "Look Chris, I'd love to but I can't, see I-"

"Wow, this must be what rejection feels like" Chris interjected flatly

Blake scoffed, "I'm not rejecting you" he assured him, "It's just that I'm heading off to Uni tomorrow so I don't have time"

"Oh" was Chris' response, "But I thought Uni didn't start until next week"

"It does but I decided to move in with some mates so that I could get away from my dad" Blake replied, "I have to head up there tomorrow so that we can sort some stuff out"

Chris nodded slowly in understanding and swallowed heavily, "Ok, well have fun at Uni, I guess" he murmured before moving away

Blake suddenly grabbed his arm, "Wait" he began, "Just because I'm leaving tomorrow doesn't mean we can't do something today"

Chris considered this, "Well what would we do?" he asked

Blake shrugged and smiled, "Whatever we want"

xxx

Chris was surprised by how much could be accomplished in less than twenty-four hours. He and Blake had watched some movies, ate some food, met up with their friends and talked about everything under the sun. However, once Blake realised that he had to head off, Chris' heart sunk: he had only just met the guy, yet being with him felt like the most natural thing in the world.

Chris swallowed his disappointment before tentatively asking, "Are we ever going to see each other again?"

Blake shrugged, "I'm not sure" he admitted heavily, "I want to come back but I also need to have as much space from my dad as possible"

Chris nodded in understanding and Blake continued, "Besides, I quite like the idea of this just being a one-off"

Chris smiled slightly: Blake had a point, after all. It would be more bittersweet (and romantic) if they were to part ways and never contact each other again, and Chris made a mental note to remove Blake's number from his mobile phone as soon as he could to prevent him from trying to make contact.

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Chris agreed, and there was a lingering silence before he continued, "Well, I really hope you have a good time at University"

"Thanks" Blake replied before leaning in to kiss him.

Chris blinked in surprise as Blake's lips met his. He almost pulled away in shock, considering that he had never shared a kiss with a guy before. However, he allowed the kiss to happen and actually quite enjoyed it. Blake pulled away sooner than Chris would have liked but smiled coyly. Silently, Blake walked away from Chris, who watched him, feeling slightly disappointed but pleased that he had overcome that first dating hurdle, which made him more confident about what the future held for him and his love-life.

* * *

_**First (real) kiss**_

_Set on the 24th February 2012: this is an idea of how Chris and Aidan's __official __first kiss happened, following their second date._

Aidan wiped the sweat from his forehead as he and Chris left the court, "So when you said that you were 'ok' at basketball, you were just being modest, weren't you?" he clarified

Chris nodded sheepishly, "It's a cunning tactic" he replied, "If you underplay your skills then the other person lets their guard down, then you can swoop in and win"

Aidan considered this, "That** is** a good tactic" he agreed, "I'll bear that in mind for next time"

"'Next time'?" Chris repeated in surprise

Aidan hesitated, "Well I was hoping to arrange another date" he began, "Unless you're so put off by my lack of sports skills that you never want to see me again"

Chris shook his head, "No, I'd like another date too" he assured him.

There was a lingering pause where neither of them was sure what to do next. Even though Chris wanted another date, he didn't want the current date to end just yet, "So, do you want to get something to eat or drink?" he asked, secretly hoping that Aidan would be famished from their intense basketball game

Fortunately Aidan was and he nodded, "As long as the loser doesn't have to pay"

Chris shook his head, "No, it's on me" he reassured him, "It's the least I can do after thrashing you at basketball"

Aidan pulled a face but followed Chris to the nearest café to get some refreshments.

xxx

Chris and Aidan sat down on the bench by the lake with their lunch, "So how did you get into basketball?" Aidan asked before taking a bite out of his turkey salad wrap.

Chris shrugged, "At school we used to do it during P.E" he explained, "Then later on I became more passionate about it and started playing for the Erinsborough Emus"

"That's cool" Aidan replied, "But it must be tricky to fit that in around your work"

Chris shifted slightly, "I actually gave up basketball a while ago" he admitted

Aidan glanced at him quizzically, "Oh, why?"

"Well, I was in the middle of my exams" Chris explained. This concerned Aidan slightly as it was a reminder of their age gap: this guy was just out of high school whilst he had finished university ages ago. Nonetheless, Aidan knew that age didn't really matter, as long as it didn't affect the relationship.

"My dad didn't want me to be working at the garage and going to basketball practice instead of studying" he continued, "He made me choose between them, and I wanted to make a career out of being a mechanic so I chose to give up basketball"

Aidan frowned, "That's awful" he replied, "But now that you've finished school, have you considered going back to basketball?"

Chris shrugged, "Not really" he admitted, "That makes sense and I still play for fun every now and again, but I guess I'm not as committed to it as I originally thought"

Aidan considered this and Chris took a sip of his drink, "What about you? How did you get into nursing?"

"My uncle's a doctor" Aidan began, "I did a work placement with him when I was younger and I really enjoyed it, but I was put off by all of the stigma around being a male nurse, so I decided to study Geography at university instead"

"What happened?" Chris asked

"I helped a friend with one of her nursing assignments and fell in love with it, so I switched subjects and never looked back" he responded, "I guess if you're passionate enough about something then it doesn't matter what other people think, just go for it"

Chris nodded in agreement, "But why a nurse instead of a doctor?"

Aidan pulled a face, "I saw my uncle in action and it's way too impersonal" he replied, "You know, they diagnose, they cure and then they send the patient on their way. But as a nurse you get to know everyone, and through my job I've got to know loads of people, some of which have had quite an impact"

Aidan smiled at Chris cheekily and Chris blushed as he caught onto his insinuation. There was a lingering pause so - unusually for him - Chris decided to throw caution to the wind and leant in to kiss Aidan gently. After a few moments, however, Chris pulled away suddenly.

"Sorry" he gasped, "I just thought I sensed a 'moment', obviously it **wasn't** a 'moment'"

Aidan shook his head slowly, "No, it's fine" he assured him, "I just wasn't expecting you to initiate that, especially in such a public place"

"Yeah, even I was surprised" Chris admitted sheepishly, "I didn't mean for it to be so spontaneous, it's not usually my style"

Aidan smiled, "Well I like this style, not being worried about what other people might think" he replied, "It's a nice change from the Chris who could barely form a coherent sentence last week"

Chris blushed bashfully which caused Aidan to chuckle, "**That** Chris was pretty cute though"

Chris smiled and Aidan stood up, looking regretful, "Look, I'm working the afternoon shift so I should probably be heading off, is that ok?"

Chris nodded as he stood up, "Of course, I can't exactly stop you from going to work, can I?"

"Good point" Aidan responded, "But thanks for a lovely date, even though I still haven't found a sport that I can beat you at yet"

Chris sniggered, "Well we'll just have to keep trying, won't we?"

Aidan smiled, liking the idea of him and Chris going on more dates, even if they entailed playing different sports, "Just let me know when you're free and we'll sort out our next date"

Chris nodded, inwardly jumping for joy but making a mental note not to contact him immediately otherwise he might look too eager. There was another long pause before Aidan tentatively stepped towards Chris and kissed him softly. Feeling Aidan's hand on his cheek, Chris deepened the kiss momentarily before gently retracting. Grinning like an idiot, Chris barely managed to say his farewells articulately which caused Aidan to chuckle: 'so much for Chris becoming less awkward'. However, as he walked away with a goofy grin on his face, Aidan felt rather proud of how much difference a week had made for their blossoming romance, and was excited about what the future held for them.

* * *

_**First (on-screen) kiss**_

_Set on the 9__th__ April 2012: this is a bit of context surrounding Chris and Aidan's first on-screen kiss at Tash's party._

Chris handed Aidan a drink, "Ok, I think we're even" he panted

Aidan quirked an eyebrow as he took a sip of his drink, so Chris elaborated, "Skills, I mean. I've got basketball and you've got dancing, that's fair enough"

Aidan smirked, "Yeah, but which one's more useful in everyday life?" he asked

Chris considered this, "Good point" he agreed, "I guess you win then"

Aidan smiled smugly but noticed that Chris' was glancing towards the hallway with a troubled expression, "What's wrong?"

Chris shrugged, "It's Summer" he revealed quietly

"What happened?" Aidan asked, sounding concerned

Chris rolled his eyes, "Do you want the short version or the long version?"

Aidan thought to himself for a moment, "Let's start with the short one, then I'll decide whether I'm interested enough to hear the whole thing"

Chris smiled slightly, "Well basically, she and Andrew have become Ramsay Street's 'Ross and Rachel'"

Aidan looked surprised, "Really? I loved Ross and Rachel!"

Chris pulled a face, "Well I found them pretty annoying after a while" he replied before shrugging, "I preferred Monica and Chandler"

Aidan chuckled, "Ah, you're an old romantic then, are you?"

"When I want to be, yeah" Chris teased

"Oh really?" Aidan questioned, sounding intrigued, "Why haven't I seen it yet then?"

"You will" Chris assured him nonchalantly

Aidan nodded slowly, "Looking forward to it" he murmured

Chris held his gaze before taking a step towards him and kissing him roughly. Aidan was taken aback by how eager his boyfriend was to show him affection in public, though he shouldn't really have been that surprised by it – and he returned the kiss.

When Chris eventually pulled away he grinned, "How was that?" he asked smugly

Aidan shrugged, "Not bad" he replied casually, "Though you could do with some more practice"

Chris sniggered and Aidan wrapped his arms around Chris' waist to pull him closer before drawing him into a long, open-mouthed kiss. Concerns about Summer and Andrew washed away from Chris as he enjoyed making out with his boyfriend, surrounded by a bunch of party-goers who couldn't care less about what was going on around them. This caused Chris and Aidan to also become ignorant to the atmosphere, and instead get lost in the moment where the problems of Summer, Andrew and Tash were non-existent to them.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'neighboursgirl' for the prompt: sorry if the layout was a bit dodgy, but it was the only way I could fit all of the parts in. In regards to the first part, I hope the explanation behind Blake's 'coming-out' was ok (and yes, I was suggesting that Nate was the guy that he was with) and that it worked as a short scenario. For the second part, I was always annoyed that Chris and Aidan's first on-screen kiss (supposedly) wasn't their first actual kiss, so that's what inspired me to write the official one for their second date. Also, for their first on-screen kiss on the show, there was no context behind it so I hope that what I've written works. _

_By the way, anyone else super excited for the potential Aaron and Nate pairing? I'm actually considering writing Nate/Aaron related one-shots if I get inspired; but we'll see what happens… Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for Chris related stories then feel free to let me know, and reviews are always welcome! _


	21. Chapter 21

**Scotty**

_Requested by 'Tdog' and set in episode 6644: this is what we didn't see from Scotty's brief return in mid 2013._

* * *

Georgia stared in shock at the tall man practically towering over her. It felt like a lifetime since she had last seen her boyfriend of seven years, even though it had only been about three months since she had learnt the truth about his sexual orientation and fled from the house.

Eventually she managed to utter, "What are you doing here?"

Scotty glanced to the floor sheepishly, "I think I owe you an apology and an explanation" he murmured

Kyle scoffed, "You **think**?!"

Georgia glared at him, "Kyle, could you give us a moment?"

"I hope it takes longer than 'a moment'" Kyle muttered

"Please!" Georgia snapped

Kyle shrugged before reluctantly trudging out of the room, leaving the former couple standing in the living room, avoiding each other's gazes. After a long – and extremely awkward – silence, Scotty took a deep breath.

"First of all, I am **so** sorry about everything, Goldie" he began, and Georgia almost trembled at his use of the nickname, "I never meant to hurt you, you know that, right?"

Georgia nodded solemnly, "I know, but you lied to me about your sexuality for seven years so how can you expect me to be anything **but** hurt?"

"I can't" Scotty responded quietly, then considered this, "but it wasn't seven years of lies, I only realised my real feelings a few years ago"

Georgia scoffed, "Oh yeah, because that makes it **so** much better"

"Sorry" Scotty apologised hastily, realising how careless that sounded, "But I did love you, I still do"

"Just not in the way that everyone thought you did" Georgia murmured

Scotty nodded, "I know, and I wish I could have loved you the way you deserved, the way you loved me"

Scotty noticed Georgia shifting uncomfortably and questioned her about it. After hesitating for a moment, Georgia admitted, "Look, I do still care about you, but things haven't really been the same since I moved to Erinsborough"

Scotty looked puzzled, "I know long-distance wasn't ideal, but when I arrived around Christmas, you were acting as though no time had passed at all"

Georgia shrugged, "Because it was nearly Christmas and I was excited to see you"

Scotty nodded, "Yeah, me too"

Georgia sighed, "I just feel like even if your sexual orientation wasn't the issue then our relationship would still have been in trouble because of the distance between us"

"But you were ready to marry me" Scotty pointed out in confusion

"I **thought** I was" Georgia replied sombrely, "I mean, you pointed out that life's too short and I guess I just got lost in the moment"

"So you weren't actually happy with me anyway?" Scotty questioned, "Why didn't you say anything? We've always been honest with each other"

Georgia couldn't help snorting at his comment, "That's rich coming from you"

Scotty nodded slowly at his hypocrisy, "Yeah, sorry" he breathed, "You know, we could have saved a lot of time and problems if we'd just talked more honestly after I arrived. You could have told me how you wanted to be with Kyle instead of me, and I could-"

"Wait, Kyle?" Georgia interrupted, "Why do you think I wanted to be with him back then?"

"Because you two got together pretty quickly after I left" Scotty pointed out, "And looking back, it was obvious that you were into each other. I guess that's why I wanted to work at Dial-A-Kyle"

"To keep an eye on him?" she clarified

Scotty nodded, "I know it was stupid, but I was scared of losing you to him because I thought that if I lost you, I'd have no-one"

Georgia studied Scotty sympathetically, "I shouldn't have strung either of you along" she whispered

Scotty shook his head, "Hey, I've done the same thing" he reminded her, "But now you guys can be together properly"

xxx

After finishing their tea, Georgia suddenly broke the comfortable silence, "So, now that you've deal with coming out, what's next for Scotty Boland?"

Scotty shrugged, "No idea, I guess I'll just take each day as it comes"

Georgia smiled slightly, "Well I meant romantically" she corrected, "Because Chris is still single so if you grovel enough he-"

Scotty shook his head, "No, he's made it perfectly clear that he's not interested"

"Because you were in the closet and in a relationship with me, which you're not anymore" Georgia reminded him, "You don't know for sure that he wasn't interested"

"I'm not even sure if** I** was" Scotty murmured thoughtfully

Georgia was about to question him about his comment when Scotty stood up, "Look, I should be heading off"

"Really?" Georgia asked, glancing at her watch, "it's still early"

Scotty nodded, "Yeah, there's some stuff I need to sort out"

Georgia slowly stood up and faced her ex-boyfriend, "Well thanks for coming back, this has really helped"

"Yeah, it has" Scotty agreed before pulling her into a long hug.

xxx

Chris was almost as surprised to see Scotty as Georgia had been. Scotty stood awkwardly in the doorway and there was an uncomfortable pause.

"Can I come in?" Scotty asked

Chris swallowed, "Why? What's going on?"

"I needed to talk to you before I went back home" Scotty replied

Chris narrowed his eyes at him, "I didn't even realise you were back in Erinsborough"

Scotty nodded, "Kyle thought there was unresolved stuff between Georgia and I, so I came back to talk things through with her" he explained, "Now I think there's unresolved stuff between **us**"

"That's for sure" Chris scoffed, then grudgingly stepped aside, "Come in, do you want a drink or something?"

Scotty shook his head as he entered, "No thanks, I just need to clear the air"

Chris nodded as he followed him down the stairs, "Ok then, start talking" he commanded as he folded his arms

Scotty took a deep breath, "Look, I want to apologise for everything I did to you" he began, "I'm sorry for cracking onto you in the first place and assuming you'd be interested when you weren't. I'm sorry for making you think you'd imagined what I had been doing and lying to Georgia about it; I can only imagine how embarrassing and uncomfortable that must have been for you. And I'm sorry for lashing out when I thought that you'd tell Georgia my secret, I was just scared that everything would fall apart, but I know that doesn't justify violence"

Chris shook his head, "Nothing does" he agreed, "But I do understand the confusion and fear that you felt, so I accept your apology"

Scotty smiled gratefully, "Thanks"

There was a lingering pause and Scotty was about to leave when Chris suddenly spoke up, "Actually, I have a question and it might sound a bit weird, but why me?" he asked, "I mean, there are way more attractive guys around here than me. Or did you think that because I'm gay and single that I'd be an easy target or something?"

"Kind of" Scotty replied sheepishly, "But I guess it was mainly because I admired you"

Chris was baffled, "What do you mean?"

Scotty hesitated before admitting, "When I first arrived and found out that you and Aidan were a couple, I was jealous of how easy and matter-of-fact it was for you to be yourselves. I'd convinced myself that it wouldn't be like that in Birreguarra, that I'd be shamed or ostracised or something"

"But you weren't, were you?" Chris clarified

"Well not everyone was doing cartwheels about it" Scotty joked, "But it definitely wasn't as bad as I'd imagined"

"I'm glad" Chris replied honestly, "And it's great that you can finally be yourself now"

"Yeah, it is" Scotty agreed, "But after you and Aidan broke up I was kind of relieved because I thought I'd have more of a chance to test the waters"

"So you trying it on with me was kind of like a test of your sexuality?" Chris realised

Scotty nodded shamefully, "It was ridiculous and completely out of order. I hate what I've done, I've hurt so many people and I wish I hadn't"

"That doesn't matter anymore" Chris assured him, "I think we all just need to move on"

Scotty nodded, "Yeah, we do" he agreed, then held Chris' gaze momentarily, "Look, thanks for letting me talk to you. Most people in your shoes would have just slammed the door in my face"

"I was tempted" Chris chuckled, "But I've been in your position before and it's tricky to go through it alone, so the least I could do was to give you a chance"

Scotty nodded, "Well thanks again" he responded, then glanced at the door, "Anyway, I should be heading off"

Chris nodded slowly and Scotty ascended the stairs to the door. Suddenly, he turned around to face Chris, "You know what you said before about there being more attractive people around here than you?" be began, "You shouldn't sell yourself so short. I mean, you're not that bad"

"Oh, stop it. You're making me blush" Chris deadpanned

Scotty sniggered, "I guess I should probably work on my pick-up lines. **That** and 'are you warm enough?' probably won't be very successful if I went out on the pull"

Chris pulled a face, "Yeah, it's probably for the best to come up with some new ones"

Scotty nodded, "I'll think of some on the way back"

Chris smiled slightly "Well have a good trip, drive safe"

"I will, thanks" Scotty replied, "I'd say 'see you around' but I really doubt that I will"

Chris shrugged, "Well wherever you are, it shouldn't matter" he reminded him, "You should be able to live your life your own way and be with whoever you want to be with"

Scotty considered this, "Yeah, you're right. Thanks again mate"

Chris shook his head, "No problem, good luck out there"

Scotty smiled gratefully, then gave a brief wave before turning back around and heading out of the door. Chris let out a deep breath, relieved that the air had finally been cleared. He hadn't realised how much talking to Scotty would help the situation; after all, he had starting moving on from it himself, and his friendship with Georgia was gradually recovering. However, now that Scotty had returned to explain everything, it would hopefully help everyone to move on properly.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'Tdog' for the prompt: you must be psychic or something because while watching the story involving Alistair, I was reminded of how unresolved the Scotty storyline was, so I'm glad you requested it! Actually, I had some issues with keeping up with the continuity of episode 6644 because what we saw was really vague, so it was difficult to write around it. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots (they don't have to be about Chris now that he's gone and Aaron's arrived) then just let me know; and remember that reviews are always welcome!_


	22. Chapter 22

**Alistair**

_From writing the Scotty one-shot I realised that the Alistair storyline was as unresolved as Scotty's, especially since most of the interesting development happened off-screen. Because of this, I've written a one-shot about what happened between Aaron and Alistair from episode 7158._

* * *

Aaron was relieved once Nate and Tyler had left. He remained in his seat for a while, watching as Alistair's friends gradually departed until the brunette was sitting alone. Noticing Alistair's empty glass, Aaron quickly sidled over to him and placed himself down in front of the bar next to him.

"Hey" Aaron greeted, "Fancy another one?"

Alistair shrugged heavily, "Might as well, it's not like my life could get any worse"

"That's the spirit!" Aaron cheered, before ordering another round and gazing at Alistair sympathetically, "What's wrong?"

Alistair scoffed, "You mean you don't know?" he questioned scornfully, then nodded over to the table where he had previously been sitting, "I saw you with Nate over there so I'm guessing he and his interfering aunt have told you everything"

Aaron nodded slowly, "Well I do know what happened, but I only know one side of what happened" he replied, then moved the new drink towards Alistair, "So, in return for the drink, you can tell me your side of the story"

Alistair shot him an uncertain smile and Aaron extended his hand, "I'm Aaron, by the way"

Alistair grasped his hand and shook it, "I'm Alistair"

xxx

Aaron realised that it would take more than one drink to get Alistair to talk about his problems. As second and third drinks (on top of the ones that they'd had separately) were consumed, Aaron opened up to Alistair about himself in the hope of relaxing the atmosphere and encouraging him to reveal the truth, telling him about his rather straightforward coming-out despite his father's disapproval. He also told him about how he and his brothers had learnt the family trade, although there was still (and would always be) tension between him and his dad. Aaron finally talked about how and why he arrived in Erinsborough: his older brother – Mark – had called him to ask for help with cheering his younger brother – Tyler – up, so Aaron had made arrangements with his agent, who found that The Waterhole was looking for a male revue act.

Alistair was rather intrigued by Aaron's career, "So what's it like being a stripper?" he slurred

Aaron put a hand up, "I'd prefer to think of myself as an entertainer" he replied, "And it's great. I get to do what I love in front of people who are buzzing with energy, there's no better feeling"

"Have you had a lot of stick about it?" Alistair asked

Aaron shrugged, "A bit, but it's worth the hassle"

Alistair thought to himself before sniggering, "Maybe you could 'entertain' me sometime" he murmured suggestively

Aaron glanced at him, "Maybe I could" he responded equally suggestively, "How about a trade? I'll 'entertain' you if you entertain me about what's going on"

Alistair shrugged, "I'll hold you to that"

"Ditto" Aaron replied

There was a lingering pause before Alistair sighed, "So, what do you want to know?"

"Well I'm not going to ask about your sexuality" Aaron began, "That's not my business or Nate's, or Susan's, or even Coco's. It's just yours"

"Thanks" Alistair breathed, "I've just spent so long being confused that I don't know who or what I am anymore"

"Then start from the beginning and we can figure it out together" Aaron suggested, "There's no rush"

Alistair held his gaze momentarily before shaking his head in exasperation, "I thought I loved her" he whispered, "I've been with Coco since high school and never even looked at anyone else"

"So what changed?" Aaron asked

"Well one day my best mate came out to me, and it wasn't a problem at first. But as soon as he got a boyfriend everything changed" he explained, "I was insanely jealous, it bordered on stalking so I eventually ended the friendship because it became to difficult for me to be near him. Luckily I went off to Uni to study politics and didn't see him for years"

"But…?" Aaron prompted

"I ran into him one day" he replied, "We caught up over an awkward lunch, but just before we were supposed to part ways, we slept together. It was like all those pent-up feelings came flooding out the moment I laid eyes on him again. I managed to flee the room afterwards, so he didn't get the chance to confront me about it. And I ignored any attempts he made to contact me so I never saw or heard from him again"

"That's pretty tough" Aaron interjected sympathetically, "I can only imagine how difficult it was to deal with those feelings whilst being in a relationship with a woman. Sometimes it's easier to just pretend rather than admit the truth"

Alistair glanced at him, "It wasn't easy" he replied scornfully, "Nothing about the past decade has been easy. Every day I had to keep up the pretence, some days I could barely get out of bed because the façade was so exhausting. Every day was a lie, so no wonder I didn't know who I was"

"And you still don't" Aaron murmured

Alistair nodded despondently, "I spent so long being with Coco that I could almost convince myself that it was my real life" he explained, "Without her I've got nothing, no identity"

Aaron considered this, "You spent the most important years of your life confused and in denial so you missed out on discovering who you really were" he looked at Alistair, "But you can make up for it now"

"And how do I do that?" Alistair replied contemptuously

Aaron sighed, "By asking questions, by putting yourself out there, communicating, research, anything that'll help" he responded, "But most importantly, being honest"

xxx

After several more drinks, Aaron realised that Alistair had drank enough: the other man was slurring his words to an almost incomprehensible extent, so Aaron helped him virtually limp out of Off Air.

"Thanks for listening tonight" Alistair mumbled, "It's really helped"

"It's no problem" Aaron assured him, "Thanks for talking"

There was a pause, and before Aaron had the chance to ask Alistair where he lived so that he could take him home, Alistair turned to face him, "Hey, I upheld my end of the deal, so now it's your turn"

Remembering their trade earlier on, Aaron glanced away bashfully, "Look, I am pretty confident about my job, but not confident enough to do it right here"

Alistair raised an eyebrow, "You do realise I wasn't actually talking about you performing your routine, right?"

Aaron nodded slowly, "I know, but based on what you've told me, I don't really think you're ready for that yet"

Alistair rolled his eyes and closed the distance between them, "I may not know who I really am, but I do know what I want. You" he slurred before pulling Aaron into a rough kiss. Aaron should have pushed the confused and drunk man away, but all logical thinking had gone out of the window the moments that their lips met, so he kissed him back instead.

xxx

Aaron and Alistair burst through the front door of number 24, still locked in their heated kiss. Just as Alistair attempted to remove Aaron's shirt, Aaron realised what was about to happen and gently pushed him away.

"What?" Alistair asked, looking and sounding offended

Aaron sighed, "This can't happen"

Alistair snorted, "You were all for it ten seconds ago"

"I know, but we've got to think about this properly" Aaron warned him

"Can we** not** think?" Alistair groaned, "Just once, can we switch our brains off and just do what feels right?"

As Alistair grabbed Aaron's shirt again, the shorter man took a step away, "I'm sorry but this doesn't feel right" he replied, "You're drunk and confused and vulnerable, I don't want you to wake up in the morning and regret it"

"I'm not going to regret it" Alistair assured him shakily, "I want this, I spent years denying myself this"

Aaron shook his head, "I get that, but this is wrong"

Alistair stared at him in despair and Aaron continued, "I want to be a friend and I want to help you, which is why this can't happen"

There was a pause before Alistair turned away. Aaron was almost heartbroken as he watched tears fall from Alistair's face. Gently, he padded over to him and rubbed his back comfortingly.

"I've got nothing" Alistair whispered, "Even after all of this, I still can't be who I really am"

"You can" Aaron reminded him, "Maybe not right now, maybe not with me, but you can one day"

Alistair smiled a grateful and watery smile at him, then Aaron headed over to the sink to pour a couple of glasses of water and fill the kettle.

"Here you go" Aaron murmured as he passed the glass to Alistair, "We both drank a lot back there, so we need to try to prevent a hangover"

They tapped their glasses together before gulping them down. After a long pause Aaron broke the silence, "Look, you shouldn't try to get home in your state, so why don't you stay here tonight?"

"Really?" Alistair clarified

Aaron nodded, "Tyler's staying with Nate and his family – it's a long story – so we've got a room going spare"

At the mention of Nate, Alistair visibly tensed up but Aaron reassured him, "He's not gonna know that you're here, don't worry"

Alistair nodded unconvincingly and Aaron started to make them coffee as he continued, "Mark will probably be back at some point, so try not to make too much noise later if you can help it" he warned him, "He's a cop so if he suspects that someone's lurking around he'll take action"

"That's me told then" Alistair joked

Aaron chuckled and handed him a mug which Alistair took gratefully, "So are all of your brothers as hot as you are?" he asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere

Aaron shrugged, "It's debatable" he replied, "I guess it's a common trait of the Brennan brothers"

"Is that a trademark or something?" Alistair questioned, "'The Brennan brothers'?"

Aaron suddenly looked inspired, "No, but it totally should be!"

Alistair chuckled, which eased the tension between them. After several minutes of sipping on their drinks, they finally sat down on the couch and Aaron gently encouraged Alistair to talk about himself, not just regarding his sexuality but about his past in general. They chatted long into the night until they mutually decided that they needed to sleep. Murmuring an awkward 'goodnight' to each other, Aaron was beginning to regret pushing Alistair away, though he knew that realistically he had made the right decision by not sleeping with him despite how determined Alistair had been earlier on.

xxx

Following the delicious scent of cooking, Aaron was pleasantly surprised to find Alistair preparing breakfast.

"Hey" Aaron greeted, "What's all this?"

"Breakfast" Alistair replied matter-of-factly, "It's the least I could do after everything you did for me last night" he paused and wrinkled his nose, "Or **didn't **do"

Aaron sighed, "Look, about that-"

Alistair interrupted him, "No, don't worry about it, I'm glad you stopped me" he assured the other man, "Like you said, I was drunk, confused and vulnerable so I was in no state to make those kinds of decisions"

Aaron nodded gratefully, "So how are you feeling now?"

"Like a new person" Alistair breathed, "Seriously, it's like everything makes sense now that it's all out in the open; what all of those feelings meant and why I acted the way I did, it feels amazing"

Aaron smiled, "That's great" he replied honestly, then cleared his throat and glanced at the frying pan, "So what's on the menu?"

"Pancakes, I always used to make them for Coco after a rough night" Alistair responded, and Aaron noticed that he didn't even falter at the mention of his ex-fiancés name, instead he smiled softly, "It's not the most effective 'thank you' but I wanted to do more than just say it"

Aaron shook his head, "It's not a problem, I'm just glad that things are working out for you now"

Alistair smiled gratefully and passed Aaron the plate full of pancakes, then glanced over his shoulder, "I noticed that you've got a pool in your back yard"

Aaron nodded, "I was pretty surprised when I first saw it, but if my brothers had told me about it earlier then I probably would have been here a lot sooner" he joked, "Did you want a swim?"

Alistair shrugged, "I don't have any shorts or anything"

"Not a problem" Aaron assured him, "We've got spare ones and loads of towels, so go ahead"

"If you don't mind" Alistair replied cautiously

Aaron shook his head, "I reckon it'll help. You know, water's supposed to be good for relaxing"

"I'll gladly test that theory" Alistair chuckled, then looked coy, "Thanks again for everything, mate"

"You don't have to thank me" Aaron responded dismissively, "I just think it's great that we can have second chances"

Alistair nodded slowly, pondering over what Aaron had said. Aaron hoped that Alistair had caught on to his insinuation about dropping his complaint about Susan.

"Actually, I was thinking a lot about what's happened lately" Alistair began, "I've realised how unreasonable I've been towards Susan and Nate. They've both tried to do the right thing, but I guess that no matter what happens, someone's bound to get hurt. And I was the one who started this, I kissed Nate while I was engaged to another woman so I guess I have no-one else to blame but myself"

Aaron couldn't help but agree with Alistair, who continued, "I was angry when Nate told Coco about the kiss because it wasn't his place, but I know that I wouldn't have done it and we would have entered into a marriage that we shouldn't have. And when Nate told Susan about the kiss, she did the ethical thing by refusing to officiate rather than going ahead with a wedding that she knew was fraught with lies. She didn't breach confidentiality, she prevented a disaster"

Aaron smiled slightly and Alistair finished preparing his batch of pancakes before stacking them on a plate. Although Aaron was genuinely pleased for Alistair, he also felt slightly smug about potentially having one up on Nate by convincing Alistair to drop his complaint against Susan. He was prepared to do anything to wipe that condescending smirk off of Nate's (strangely attractive) face.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! It's such a shame that this story was wrapped up so offhandedly, whilst other – more boring – storylines are dragged on for ages, so I wanted to fill in the gaps. I know that Aaron claimed that 'nothing happened' between him and Alistair, but I just wanted to add this twist in. As always, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots then just let me know; and remember that reviews are always welcome!_


	23. Chapter 23

**Fixing Problems**

_Prompted by 'Tori' and set in early 2016, this is another idea of Chris returning with Lucy and their baby. This time they're back to fix a problem at Lassiter's, just as Nate and Aaron are hitting a rough patch in their romance. _

* * *

Chris climbed out of the taxi with Lucy and baby Katie in tow. As quickly as she had climbed out, Lucy rushed off with their daughter to get her cleaned up and fed, leaving the younger man to sort out the luggage. Chris helped the concierge load a trolley with their bags, remembering how it felt to be doing that job last year and how much he would have liked people to help him sometimes when the bags were too heavy. The concierge gave him a grateful smile - which was returned by Chris - before wheeling the trolley into the hotel. Chris looked around the complex with a smile on his face and let out a deep breath: it was great to be back in Erinsborough.

xxx

Nate and Aaron were interrupted from their pashing session in the hallway by Tyler exclaiming "Oi love-birds, get a room!"

Nate chuckled as he pulled away, "Good morning to you too" he quipped, "And I'm leaving anyway, so I'll see you guys around"

Nate kissed Aaron a final time before heading out, with Aaron and Tyler watching him. As Aaron turned around he saw his younger brother dancing triumphantly.

Aaron recognised the routine, "Do you have to do that every time you see me and Nate together?" he sighed

Tyler nodded, still dancing, "It's my 'I told you so' dance, that's the whole point"

"Yeah, but it's been going on for months" the older man pointed out

Tyler shrugged, "So?" he questioned as he twirled around, "I was still right when I first set you guys up"

Aaron sighed, "Ok, fine. You were right" he muttered, then put his hands up and pretended to bow towards Tyler's feet, "I bow down to your superiority"

Tyler stopped dancing, "See, that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

Aaron chuckled as he stood up and shook his head in exasperation, "You're an idiot"

Tyler shrugged, "Look, as long as you guys are happy together then that's all that matters" he assured him

Aaron nodded sombrely, "Yeah, thanks" he murmured as he opened the fridge

Tyler raised an eyebrow, "You don't seem too certain about that" he noted as Aaron stood up with a jug of juice

Aaron shook his head and opened a cupboard, "No, we have fun" he replied

"But…?" Tyler prompted

Aaron sighed as he took a cup out of the cupboard, "That's it, it's just fun"

"I thought that's all you wanted" Tyler pointed out

Aaron nodded, "With **him**, yeah. But I guess I want to find a long-term partner and not just some fling"

"And is Nate a 'fling'?" Tyler questioned

"I don't want him to be" Aaron admitted, "But even after being with him these last few months I can't imagine him as anything else"

Aaron filled his glass with juice quietly, not realising that he was being watched by his younger brother pensively. Tyler was inwardly worried about the result of setting his brother up with his best friend, but hoped that they would sort it out.

xxx

Nate was deep in thought as he sat with his coffee going cold in Harold's. He was brought out of his trance by Susan appearing behind him.

"Have you moved out then?" she joked

Nate practically jumped out of his seat in surprise, "What?"

Susan sat down opposite him, "You've barely been home this week" she pointed out, "I take it you've been at number 24"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, sorry" he muttered, "I should let you know whether I'm going to be in or not"

Susan shook her head, "It's not a problem, I was just checking"

Nate smiled slightly, "Were you worried about me?"

Susan considered this, "In some ways, yes" she admitted, "I mean, I know you can take care of yourself but you're family and you're important to us, so we like to know that you're ok"

Nate couldn't help the fond smile that appeared on his lips, "I appreciate that" he replied

Susan studied him for a moment, "Speaking of 'moving out', since you spend more time with the Brennan's than us, have you thought about moving in with them?" she asked tentatively, "I mean, you and Aaron have been together a while now so it makes sense"

Nate quirked an eyebrow, "Are you trying to get rid of me?" he questioned jokingly

Susan shook her head, "Of course not – and we'd welcome you back – but it seems silly to have all your stuff with us if you're not with us"

"I don't know" Nate sighed, "Moving in with someone is something you do when you're in a committed relationship"

"But you and Aaron aren't?" she enquired

"We're barely in a relationship full-stop" he replied

"Don't you want to be?" Susan asked

"I don't know" Nate muttered, "You've seen us, even though we're not winding each other up anymore, we can barely hold a normal conversation with each other without some kind of conflict"

Susan shrugged, "But that's just because of your differences" she pointed out, "Surely if you found common ground then it wouldn't be such a problem"

"But this has been happening since the day we met, over six months ago" Nate reminded her, "I just don't think we can **force** ourselves to find common ground with each other, especially not now, it should be natural"

"Which it's not with Aaron?" she clarified

"Honestly? No" Nate confessed, "And I don't think there's a future for us, or at least I don't see a future with him"

Susan sighed, trying to think of a way to help her nephew who was clearly confused. However she glanced up as she noticed the door opening and a young man walking in, carrying an infant.

She recognised him instantly and gasped, "Chris!"

Nate whipped his head around to spot his ex-boyfriend holding a baby, and Chris smiled brightly, "Hey guys" he exclaimed

Susan kissed his cheek, "Not that we're not pleased to see you but what are you doing here?"

"There was an issue with the hotel to do with legislation and risk assessments, all the fun stuff" Chris explained sarcastically, "Lucy and I have had to rush back here to sort it out"

"That's a shame" Susan replied, then back-tracked, "I mean, not for us obviously"

Chris smiled and glanced at Nate, "Is that right?"

Nate nodded slightly and looked away, whilst Susan gazed at the baby, "So this is your daughter?" she enquired, stroking the baby's cheek

Chris nodded, "Yep, this is Katie"

"She's gorgeous" Susan commented, "So how long are you back for?"

Chris shrugged, "We're not sure yet, which is why we had to take Katie with us" he replied

"Well if you get too busy with hotel stuff, feel free to leave her with us" Susan reminded him

"Thanks Susan" he replied gratefully, "Now I need to feed this little one, and myself obviously"

"Some things never change" she chuckled, "You can take my seat, I'm heading off anyway" she suggested, "You two probably have loads to catch up on"

Chris and Nate nodded uncomfortably while Susan smiled, "It's great to see you again"

"You too" he whispered

Susan gave a quick wave before leaving the young men with only each other for company. Nate gestured to the empty chair opposite, "Take a seat" he suggested, "What can I get you?"

"You don't have to" Chris assured him

"It's fine" Nate replied dismissively, "The usual?"

Chris was slightly taken aback but nodded, "Yeah, thanks"

Even Nate was surprised by the fact that nearly a year after their break-up, he still remembered what Chris used to order from Harold's. He gave a small smile before hurrying over to the counter, leaving Chris holding his baby whilst watching Nate thoughtfully.

xxx

The silence was deafening between the two men as Chris fed his child. The mere act of the freckled-faced man feeding his daughter unnerved Nate, though he had always known that Chris would be a natural father, and it was obvious by the loving smile on his ex's face as he fed the infant that he was supposed to be a dad. They had made standard small-talk, giving each other a brief summary of what had happened over the past eleven months such as Nate quitting his job at the nursery and taking on a new role as the trainee manager of The Waterhole, whilst Chris told him about the progress of his hand, including the news that he was getting back into mechanics – though it was still only a hobby whilst he was working at the hotel. Baby Katie proved to be a distraction from the awkwardness, but for Nate it was just another reminder of their break-up. After an uncomfortable silence, Nate feared that the situation would be made worse when Aaron entered and spotted Nate.

"Hey" he greeted before planting a lingering kiss on his lips which surprised Chris, "I didn't expect to see you here, are you working today?"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, I'm on my way"

Chris scoffed, "Taking a detour to check out the competition?"

Nate sniggered and shook his head then glanced between the two young men in a slight panic, "Oh yeah, Aaron, this is Chris" he began nervously, "Chris, this is Aaron"

Chris shook Aaron's hand firmly, "It's good to meet you"

Aaron nodded, "You too, I've heard a lot about you"

Chris grimaced, "I'm not sure whether that's a good or a bad thing"

Aaron chuckled, "It's mostly good" he assured him casually, "And this is your kid, isn't it?" he asked, pointing to the baby in the carrier

Chris nodded, "Yeah, this is Katie" he told him

Aaron bent down and smiled softly at her in greeting before glancing at Chris, "I heard you live in New York, what's it like there?"

"It's amazing" Chris replied thoughtfully, "It feels like a world away from Erinsborough though, and I've missed it here"

"Yeah, I get that" Aaron agreed, "I've been to loads of different places but Erinsborough has a real community feel to it that I've never experienced anywhere else"

Chris nodded in agreement but was intrigued, "Wait, are you not from Erinsborough?"

Aaron shook his head, "I was brought up in Port Lincoln, then went travelling for a while until I moved here about six months ago" he replied

"He's Mark and Tyler's brother" Nate informed Chris

Chris smiled, "Ah, I should have guessed" he teased, "You look like a Brennan"

"Uh, thanks… I think" Aaron replied uncertainly

Nate sensed a lull in conversation and stood up hastily, "Look, I should be heading to work"

Aaron and Chris nodded in understanding, "Ok, well hopefully we can catch up properly before I go back to New York" Chris murmured

Nate nodded in agreement, "Sure, are you staying in the penthouse?"

"Yeah, I was tempted to go back to number 26 but it makes more sense to stay with Lucy and Katie" Chris replied

"Ok, well I might see you around then" Nate suggested

"Cool" Chris responded casually

Aaron put an arm around Nate, "I'll walk with you, and then I can be your first customer"

Nate rolled his eyes jokingly, "Fine, but no freebees" he warned him

Aaron pouted, "What happened to mate's rates?" he whined as he held the door open for Nate. As soon as the door shut, Chris closed his eyes and sighed in dismay, realising that Nate had well and truly moved on.

xxx

Nate had already been told off a couple of times by Sheila for spending too much time flirting with Aaron rather than serving customers. One of the things that Nate enjoyed about his fling with Aaron was the thrill he felt when he was doing something a little bit naughty. He initially assumed that it had something to do with being filled with adrenaline whilst he was in the army, but remembered telling Tyler several months earlier that he wanted to experience the rush you get when you're really into someone again, and although he had never considered that it would be with the guy's brother, he realised that he did have that feeling with Aaron. However, realistically Nate knew that it wasn't a feeling that could last, and the fact that he couldn't see a future with him suggested that once the feeling subsided there would be nothing left.

Sheila was more than happy to finally allow Nate a break, though he may as well have been on a constant one considering his lack of work. The guys certainly took full advantage of it by sneaking outside and making out in the secluded patio area. Apparently it wasn't secluded enough though because Chris noticed them as he approached The Waterhole. He felt his heart fall at the sight, but took a deep breath and walked straight into the pub where Sheila greeted him with a massive hug and insisted on getting him a meal on the house. After a quick catch-up, Chris tried to casually bring up Nate and Aaron's relationship and Sheila rolled her eyes as she told him about how Nate was more focused on his boyfriend than his job. Chris nodded along bitterly and Sheila caught onto his true feelings.

"I don't think it's serious" she reassured him sympathetically

Chris' eyes widened in disbelief, "Are you kidding? They can't keep their hands off of each other!" he hissed, "They're in love"

Sheila shook her head slowly, "I wouldn't go that far"

"How long have they been together?" he asked

"About four months" Sheila replied uncertainly

Chris scoffed, "Well about four months into **our **relationship I thought we were going to start a family" he told her quietly

Sheila shook her head, "Time doesn't matter when it comes to love" she pointed out, "Sometimes you fall in love almost immediately, but sometimes it takes a while, or doesn't happen at all. I mean, they didn't even **like **each other at first"

"Obviously that changed" he grumbled

Sheila sighed, "He's happy" she told him, "That's not to say he wasn't when he was with you though. His relationship with Aaron is completely different from his relationship with you, so there's no point in comparing"

Chris glanced at her with an unconvinced expression and Sheila served him another drink before seeing to a customer, leaving the young man wallowing in his own thoughts of what could have been with Nate.

xxx

Once Aaron had planted a final rough kiss on Nate's lips, he snuck off and left Nate to regain his composure before heading back into The Waterhole. However, not paying attention to where he was going, Nate walked straight into Chris.

"Sorry!" Nate gasped, then looked confused, "Wait, how long have you been in there for? I'm sure I didn't see you come in"

Chris shook his head, "I came in just after you and Aaron went outside" he admitted, causing Nate to blush

Chris chuckled, "Don't worry, I'm not gonna report you to Terese for inappropriate behaviour or anything" he assured the taller man

Nate let out a laugh, "Thanks, it won't happen again"

"I don't think Aaron would be too happy to hear that" Chris pointed out teasingly

Nate shook his head, "I didn't mean it like that, I meant…" he broke off, realising how weird the conversation sounded, "You know what I meant. Anyway, how's the stuff with the hotel going?"

Chris nodded, "It's pretty much sorted" he announced, "There's just some paperwork that needs checking over, then we just have to deliver it to the Lassiter's in New York and it should be done"

Nate smiled unconvincingly, "Great, I bet you're glad to be heading back home soon"

Chris nodded slowly, "Yeah, it's been awesome to come back here – even just for a short visit – but my life is in New York now"

Nate nodded, "Oh yeah, you're still seeing that guy, aren't you?" he questioned

"Actually, not anymore" Chris admitted, "We ended it a little while ago"

Nate pulled a face, "Sorry to hear that" he lied, "But New York's a big place, I'm sure you'll find someone else in no time"

Chris managed a small smile but shook his head, "I don't want anyone else" he murmured

Nate was taken aback, "You might feel like that now but if you **just** broke up then you should give it time and-"

Chris shook his head again, "I wasn't talking about him, I was talking about you" he confessed before sighing, "Sorry, this is completely wrong. You're with Aaron, I shouldn't be doing this"

He began to walk away but Nate put a hand out to stop him, "No, you should at least get this out in the open before you go back to New York" he insisted, wondering if Chris was about to say what Nate suspected, "You can tell me anything"

Chris held his gaze, "I'm still in love with you" he admitted quietly, "I've tried to move on, believe me. I've dated other guys and been in a pretty serious relationship, I've thrown myself into work and being a parent but none of it gets you out of my head"

Nate couldn't help the smile growing on his face despite the fact that he and Aaron were together.

"I don't expect anything to happen" Chris reminded him, "You belong here in Erinsborough with Aaron and all of your friends and family. Our lives are completely separate so I should just go back to New York so that we can get on with it"

Before Nate had a chance to say or do anything, Chris rushed off to the hotel and left Nate with a massive dilemma.

xxx

Tyler opened the door to find Nate wringing his hands nervously. Tyler stepped aside casually to let Nate in.

"Aaron's not here in case you're looking for him" he pointed out

"Actually, I'm not" Nate replied flatly as he entered

"Oh, ok" Tyler muttered, then grinned, "Hey, guess what? I added some new moves to my 'I told you so' dance, so now it goes like this-"

Tyler began to dance but Nate put a hand out to stop him, "Chris is back" he revealed

Immediately, Tyler stopped dancing and stared at him in shock, "Chris? Your ex?"

Nate nodded and Tyler looked confused, "But I thought he'd gone for good"

"That's what I thought too, but he's back with Lucy and their baby to sort out some stuff at the hotel" he replied

Tyler considered this, "Ah, so how awkward was it between you two on a scale from one to ten?"

Nate paused, "Twelve"

Tyler shrugged, "That's not too bad" he replied jokingly, then grimaced, "But I wouldn't want to be around when he meets Aaron and the claws come out"

"Actually, they've already met" Nate told him, "And it was fine"

"Ok, so what's wrong?" Tyler asked

"I still love Chris" Nate confessed helplessly

Tyler was slightly surprised but nodded, "I guess that's understandable. I mean, things ended quite suddenly between you so it's normal to have those unresolved feelings; you shouldn't feel bad about it" he assured him, "Besides, it is possible to love more than one person at a time"

Nate shook his head, "I don't love Aaron" he muttered

Tyler didn't even look surprised and Nate was puzzled, "Well you can't help how you feel" Tyler replied

"I'm happy with him" Nate insisted, the sighed heavily and shook his head, "Or at least I **thought** I was. I don't know what to do"

Tyler grimaced, knowing that he had information about how Aaron felt that could help Nate. However, he didn't want to break his brother's confidence by telling Nate what Aaron had said about their 'relationship'.

"Look, you need to talk to them" Tyler suggested, "And you need to make a decision about what you want – **who** you want"

Nate held his friend's gaze and nodded sombrely in agreement, before taking his mobile out and scrolling through his contacts, trying to decide what to do.

xxx

Aaron was surprised to find Nate watching one of his performances as the guy hadn't shown much interest before (unless Aaron was giving him a 'private performance'). However, Nate kept his distance until Aaron had finished in the Community Centre and was packing up.

"That was a really good show" Nate called out

Aaron turned to him and smiled, "Thanks, but I wasn't expecting to see you here" he replied

Nate swallowed, "Yeah, there was actually something I wanted to talk to you about"

That was a segue that most people would dread to hear, but inwardly Aaron was half expecting it.

"Sure, what's up?" he asked, folding his clothes and acting oblivious

"Are you happy with me, with us?" Nate asked suddenly

Aaron hesitated, "Why do you ask?"

Nate pulled a face, "Is that your way of saying 'no'?" he questioned, realising that answering a question like that with another question was usually a way of avoiding the truth.

Aaron glanced at him, "Honestly? I like you, which is something that I didn't think I'd say six months ago" he admitted, "But I'm not really sure if there's a future for us"

Nate exhaled, "That's exactly how I feel" he replied

"Wow, we've both been feeling the same way yet not saying anything" Aaron realised

Nate nodded, "I guess no-one wants to be the first person to say something like that out loud"

"True", Aaron agreed, then considered this, "Wait, does this have anything to do with Chris?"

Nate shrugged, "Well I've been feeling like this even before he came back, but now that he's in town it's made me realise that he's the only person that I've ever been able to see a future with" he confessed shamefully

Aaron nodded, "Then go for it" he commanded softly

Nate looked confused, "What?"

"If you can't see a future with me but you can with him, then be with him" Aaron elaborated, "Go and create that future that you want"

Nate was surprised, "Are you sure?"

Aaron chuckled, "Aren't you?" he questioned, "I want you to be happy, Nate. And if that's not with me then that's ok"

Nate let out a deep breath and hugged the shorter man, "Thank you" he whispered

Aaron squeezed him back, knowing that even though it was over between them, they both now had the perfect opportunity for a fresh start.

xxx

Chris and Lucy were engrossed in their packing now that the issues at the hotel had been sorted out. They were both relieved because it meant that they didn't have to worry so much about Katie and whether they had taken enough of her clothes, toys and food with them. However, Chris was hesitant about leaving Erinsborough: it truly was his home and when he had left for New York the first time around, he hadn't been prepared to say goodbye to it forever. But even more importantly, he didn't really want to leave Nate even though he had moved on and Chris knew that nothing was going to happen between them.

Katie's crying interrupted their progress and Lucy sighed, "I'll see what she needs"

Chris nodded and Lucy hurried off to take care of her daughter. A few moments later, Chris was alerted to someone wanting to come up to the penthouse and was surprised when he found out that it was Nate. Apprehensively, he let the other man up and waited as the elevator rose. Once it had reached the penthouse, the doors opened to reveal a determined-looking Nate staring at him. After holding their gazes for a few moments, Nate marched over to Chris and pulled him in for a longing kiss. Chris kissed him back for a few seconds before pulling away.

"Wait, what about Aaron?" he panted worriedly

Nate shook his head, "It's over" he breathed, "There was no future for us"

Before Nate could kiss him again, Chris stepped out of his arms, "But that doesn't mean there's a future for **us**" he pointed out, "The reason we broke up was because we wanted different things, so what's changed?"

"Everything" Nate replied, "**I've** changed, I'm a different person from the guy I was a year ago"

"So you want to go to New York and be involved with Katie?" Chris questioned

Nate hesitated and Chris shook his head, "That's the problem, Nate. A lot of things have changed, but if that hasn't then there's no future for **us** either"

Nate took a step towards him, "Ok, I'll definitely miss Erinsborough, Karl and Susan, Tyler and all of the other friends I've made around here" he admitted, "And maybe I'm not ready to be a step-dad yet, but I do know that I want to give it a go as long as it means that I get to be with you"

Chris smiled in relief, "That's what I want too" he breathed, "But are you really ok about leaving?"

Nate nodded slowly, "Obviously it'll be hard to say goodbye to everyone, but it'll be worth it"

Chris nodded; after all, he had been in the position of saying goodbye to Erinsborough and understood how difficult it was. However, the fact that Nate was prepared to leave everything behind was really touching, and Chris inwardly promised to never take him for granted as he pulled him in for another kiss.

xxx

Susan was devastated by the prospect of losing Nate, especially so suddenly. She had been shocked when he and Chris had told her that they were going to New York and had sorted out his visa problems. Susan was thrilled for them but it almost surprised her how intense her emotions were; Nate was a very distant relative but over the past year and a half they had developed a deep connection which she found difficult to let go of.

"Is this really what you want?" Susan asked worriedly as Nate checked that he had packed everything

Nate glanced up at her and nodded, "I know it's sudden, but if I don't do this now then I never will"

Susan nodded in understanding and Nate slung his backpack over his shoulder; the same backpack that he had when he first arrived what felt like a lifetime ago, "I'm gonna miss you" he murmured, "I never really thanked you for everything you've done for me. You gave me a home and a family, and you went out of your way to help me with my PTSD. You're one of the main reasons that I've become the person I am now and I can't thank you enough for it"

Susan shook her head, "Don't thank me" she argued tearfully, "Just go and have an amazing time, keep us up-to-date and carry on being the awesome guy that we all know and love"

Nate chuckled and pulled his aunt in for a hug, "Tell Karl and Ben I said 'goodbye' and that I'll miss them and Karl's music"

Susan quirked an eyebrow and pulled away from him, "Will you though?"

"In some ways, yeah" Nate replied, "I'll probably never be able to get 'Free as a river' out of my head though"

Susan grimaced, "I've had that problem for the last twenty-odd years" she joked before glancing at Nate's bags, "So, have you got everything?"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, I think so" he exhaled, "Chris and Lucy are waiting outside for me, so I should get going"

Susan nodded slowly, taking a deep breath as she realised that this was actually happening, "Call us as soon as you can, ok?"

Nate nodded, "I will" he assured her, then let out a breath, "I don't really want to leave, I love you guys so much and it feels like my life is here now"

Susan shook her head, "But you never know, you might fit right in over there" she pointed out

"Hopefully" Nate whispered

Chris knocking on the door interrupted them, "Hey, are you ready to go?"

Nate took one last look around the house that had become his home over the last year and a half before nodding, "Yeah, I am"

Susan smiled a watery smile at her nephew before kissing his cheek, "Take care of each other, ok?" she choked out

Chris nodded, "We will" he assured her before picking up some of Nate's bags and opening the door for Nate to leave. The taller man gave one last smile and wave to his aunt before heading out and leaving his aunt alone for the first time in ages. Once the door had shut, she let her tears fall and reached for her mobile to let Karl know that Nate had left for good.

Nate stopped dead in his tracks as he noticed Aaron stretching outside number 24. Their eyes locked for a moment before Aaron smiled and nodded in a silent acknowledgement of the fact that his ex was leaving.

This didn't go amiss by Chris, "Are you ok?" he asked in concern

Nate nodded, "Yeah, of course" he assured him, "It's just a lot to take in, that's all. Leaving Erinsborough, starting our new life together, it's gonna be-"

Nate didn't get to finish his sentence because Chris kissed him firmly in delight that he was referring to it as '**our** new life'. Chris knew that they still had a lot to work through, but New York would give them the opportunity to figure it all out together.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'Tori' for the prompt: I know you wanted a permanent return for Chris, but when I read your idea, I was inspired to write a possible departure for Nate (if Meyne decided to leave, which I hope he doesn't for a long time), so I hope you enjoyed it anyway! As always, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots (regardless of whether or not they involve Chris) then just let me know; and remember that reviews are always welcome!_


	24. Chapter 24

**HIV scare**

_The inspiration behind writing this was being recently reminded of Chris' short story arc in October 2013 where he went on a downward spiral following Hudson's imprisonment. At the time, someone had feared that Chris sleeping around would lead to him contracting an STD, so I wanted to explore that idea a bit more._

* * *

Chris was surprised when he opened the front door to find a tall, attractive man with a familiar face standing outside. Chris narrowed his eyes at him, trying to figure out where he recognised him from.

"Hey" the man greeted cautiously

"Uh, hi" Chris began, then realised that he had slept with the other guy a couple of weeks earlier, "It's umm… It starts with an 'M', right?" he asked, remembering that a few of the men that he had slept with recently had names beginning with 'M', but just couldn't remember which one was which.

The other man nodded, almost wanting to laugh at Chris forgetting his name again, "Manuel" he reminded him

Chris nodded, "Yeah, how are you?"

Manuel shifted uncomfortably, "I'm ok, how about you?"

Chris shrugged, "Yeah, I'm good" he replied, "So, what's up?"

Manuel glanced into the living room, "I need to talk to you, can I come in?" he asked hesitantly

Chris looked puzzled but nodded and stepped aside for Manuel to enter, fearing that the older man had convinced himself that they were an item. Chris had already dealt with Miguel, who had taken to practically stalking him at work because he couldn't catch on to the fact that he was just a causal hook-up, so he did not want to go through that again.

"Can I get you a drink or something?" Chris asked, secretly hoping that Manuel would decline so that he could leave quickly

"No thanks, this shouldn't take long" Manuel replied quietly, then placed himself down on the sofa and glanced around awkwardly, "Look, I probably should have told you this earlier, but I've only just got my head around it myself" he began calmly, then opened his mouth again but paused as he struggled to continue

Chris raised his eyebrows in confusion, "What's going on?"

Miguel took a deep breath, "I'm HIV-positive" he revealed shakily

Chris was taken aback and rubbed the other man's shoulder comfortingly, "Mate, I'm really sorry" he apologised earnestly, then considered this, "Hang on, why are you telling me th-" he broke off in horror as he realised what Manuel was suggesting, "Oh"

Manuel glanced down at his lap, "I'm sorry" he muttered, "I don't really remember much of our night together, we drank quite a lot and it's all a bit hazy, so I don't know whether we used protection or anything"

Chris nodded slowly and stepped backwards, "Yeah, I don't remember much either" he murmured

"So it's probably for the best that you get yourself tested" Manuel suggested

"Yeah, thanks for letting me know" Chris replied, voice barely above a whisper. Manuel looked at him sympathetically, remembering how he had felt when he was in Chris' position. He stood up and put a reassuring hand on Chris' shoulder, "I'm so sorry" he whispered.

Chris shook his head dismissively and Manuel looked him in the eyes, "Let me know what happens, ok?"

Chris nodded quickly and Manuel gave him a pathetic smile before awkwardly excusing himself from the house. The moment that the door clicked shut, Chris put his head in his hands and sobbed.

xxx

It took every ounce of courage that Chris had to knock on the door of number 28 and ask Karl for help. Initially, Karl had assumed that Chris was going to ask for more sleeping pills despite Karl not being able to prescribe them for him because of the negative effect that it had caused Chris before. However, he wasn't prepared for Chris' actual reason for being there.

After Karl reassured him that everything said between them would remain confidential, Chris nervously asked, "Is it possible to have an HIV test done at the Hospital?"

Karl was inwardly surprised but didn't let it show, "Well it would be better for you to do it at a sexual health clinic" he replied, "They specialise in that area so they have more guidance and information about it. Obviously the Hospital does too but you'd be better off going to one there"

Chris nodded in understanding, "I can suggest a couple of local clinics if you'd like" Karl suggested

"Thanks, that would be really helpful" Chris replied breathlessly

Karl hurried over to his laptop to load up the information, "Am I wrong to assume that this is for you?" he asked tentatively after a long silence

Chris shook his head, "No, you're right, it's for me" he revealed tearfully, then turned away so that his back to was to Karl. The doctor quickly printed the information out and turned towards Chris, who was struggling to hold back tears.

"Hey, it's going to be ok" Karl assured him as he wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

Chris shook his head, "This is all my fault" he spat, "I slept around with random guys so of course this happened!"

Karl shook his head, "You don't get HIV from just sleeping around" he reminded the young man, "All it takes is sleeping with one infected person and not being completely protected. This is not your fault, Chris; this is nobody's fault so don't try to blame anyone, it was just bad luck"

Chris nodded at him tearfully, but couldn't help blaming himself because he felt like it was his promiscuous behaviour that caused this to happen. Actually, he realised that instead of blaming himself he could blame Hudson for it. After all, it was Hudson being arrested and cutting him off that caused Chris to act out, so he could blame his ex for landing him in this position. Deep down Chris knew that blaming his ex was ridiculous, but with his current state of mind it was the only way that he could cope with it. After a pause, Karl grabbed the information from the printer and handed the pieces of paper to Chris, who studied them with blurry eyes.

After deciding which clinic he wanted to visit, Karl offered to go with him but Chris shook his head, "It's fine, you're probably busy" he muttered

"Not too busy for this" Karl argued, "I'd like to know that someone's there for you"

Chris scoffed, "Yeah, I doubt Kyle, Georgia or Kate would jump at the chance to spend time with me" he replied bitterly, realising guiltily that his recent behaviour had been concerning his friends and that he had been pushing them away instead of accepting their help.

"Don't they know about this?" Karl questioned

Chris shook his head, "I've only just found out myself, and there's no point in telling them if nothing comes of it. If the result's…" he took a deep breath, "If the result's positive then I'll tell them, but if it's negative then they don't ever need to know"

Karl considered this and nodded in agreement, "Ok, just give me ten minutes to sort everything out, then I'll take you to the clinic"

Chris nodded nervously. Watching Karl zoom around the house, making phone calls to the Hospital to let them know that he wouldn't be returning to work in the afternoon both eased and panicked Chris. The reality was starting to dawn on him that once he entered the clinic, his whole life could change forever, and that notion terrified him so much that he fled from the house. Karl was left standing in the middle of the room alone, but he wasn't confused by Chris' departure; rather, he was understanding of why he had left so quickly and grabbed his car keys before following after him.

xxx

Neither men said a word to each other the entire journey, and sat in silence whilst they were in the waiting room. Sitting in that dull place whilst time ticked by was excruciating for both Chris and Karl. Karl had recommended that Chris should have a full blood test rather than the 'point of care' test because it had only been a few weeks since his encounter with Manuel so the results were more likely to be accurate. Despite the numerous blood tests he had experienced in the past, this one was the most painful for Chris because of how life-changing it was. The worst part of the ordeal was the fact that he would have to wait a few days for his results, so he shakily gave the clinic his contact details whilst mentally preparing himself for what the next few days of hell would bring until he found out the results.

Karl wanted to help Chris whilst he waited, but wasn't sure how to without rousing the suspicions of his housemates. He offered for Chris to stay at number 28 but Chris pointed out that it would just draw more attention to him, so he had to carry on as normal. Karl agreed and offered to buy him a meal instead, but was surprised when Chris refused to eat despite having just lost blood and usually having a huge appetite. Chris assured him that he was just tired, but he was lying because he knew that he would have a long night of tossing and turning ahead.

xxx

The next couple of days were some of the worst days Chris had ever experienced: every minute was consumed with worry about whether he was positive or not. He decided to do some research into it so that he could be prepared for the worst, though that turned out to be a mistake because it terrified him even more. Karl had checked in on him every few hours over the days leading up to the call and Chris politely reminded him that he would let him know after he found out the results, whilst inwardly wanting to scream at him to leave him alone.

When the dreaded phone call eventually arrived, Chris hesitated before answering and felt sick to his stomach. A part of him wanted to go and physically pick up his results just to refrain from having to face up to the truth for a while longer, but he knew that he had waited long enough and didn't want to prolong the inevitable, so he asked for his results over the phone instead. He held his breath in the moments before the results were uttered and fought the urge to drop the phone and run.

Chris felt his legs turn to jelly and his head become light as he was delivered the news: the result was negative. He didn't have HIV. Chris let out a breath and deflated like a balloon; he was so overwhelmed and the build-up to that news had been one of the most terrifying things he had ever experienced. Chris crashed onto his bed and breathed his thanks before hanging up and crying in pure relief.

It took Chris a while to recover from the shock before finally texting Manuel to let him know the results: he felt guilty doing so because of Manuel's own diagnosis, but the other man had asked him and Chris realised that he would be relieved to know that he hadn't passed it on. Manuel sent back a quick reply, letting him know that he was pleased for him. Chris stared at the text for a few moments, suddenly seeing things from a new perspective before texting him back to offer his support: day or night, if Manuel needed someone to talk to or hang out with, he could turn to Chris.

He had completely forgotten about Karl during this until Chris heard someone knocking on the front door. Figuring out that it was Karl, Chris opened the front door and was proven correct. Karl gazed at him earnestly and Chris' face broke into a smile, "The result was negative" he breathed

Karl grinned and pulled Chris in for a tight hug, "I'm so glad" he murmured

Chris nodded but pulled away from his embrace, "Yeah, but I don't feel like I deserve it" he whimpered as he sat down on the top step

Karl was shocked, "Why not?" he asked as he joined him

"Because of how I've been lately" Chris pointed out, "I've behaved horribly these past few weeks and-"

Karl shook his head, "Don't try blaming yourself again" he warned the younger man, "HIV is not some sort of punishment for acting slightly out of character"

"I've not just been out of character, Karl" Chris huffed, "I've been out of control. I even convinced myself that this was Hudson's fault"

Karl wasn't shocked by this admission, "Like I said, it's no-one's fault"

Chris nodded, "I know, and I hate myself for thinking that now"

Karl shook his head, "It's normal to blame other people or things in an attempt to make sense of something" he pointed out, "No, it's not Hudson's fault and you can't follow the thread back to find the cause and place the blame on someone"

"It'll just come back to me again anyway" Chris murmured, "Me giving Hudson my number started this whole thing off in the first place, none of that other stuff would have happened if I hadn't"

Karl considered this, "I know you've been struggling with Hudson's arrest and it's been-"

Chris interrupted him, "It's not just been that though, I've been thinking about this over the past couple of days and there's so much more to it" he told Karl, "This year Summer, Andrew, Tash, Lucas and Vanessa have all left, I've been diagnosed with PTSD and broken up with Aidan and Hudson, so I guess Hudson cutting me off was just the final nail in the coffin"

Karl nodded, "Well I was going to suggest getting closure from Hudson, but if there's more to it than that, it might be worth your while talking to someone about everything and working through it that way"

Chris shrugged, "I'm talking to you now, aren't I?"

Karl smiled, "Yeah, and I'd be happy to do this again, even though I'm not a trained counsellor"

Chris shook his head, "I'll think about it" he replied, "Right now, there are a few things I need to sort out"

Karl glanced at him quizzically and Chris inhaled deeply as he gathered his thoughts about his next moves.

xxx

Kate, Kyle, Georgia and Sheila were all confused when they found that the kitchen table was laid for five and that Chris was bustling around, preparing a meal.

"What's all this?" Georgia questioned as she and Kyle entered together

"Dinner" Chris replied simply as he gave them a wide grin, "Take a seat, it won't be long"

Kyle and Georgia sat down suspiciously and exchanged a perplexed look. Kate wasn't far behind them and stopped dead in her tracks when she reached the kitchen, "Wow, that smells amazing, what is it?"

"It's Spanakopita. Mum's given me a step-by-step recipe so – touch wood" he babbled before knocking on the table, "it won't go wrong"

"Well you've not blown the kitchen up yet, so it's been a success thus far" Kyle pointed out

Sheila burst in, "Wait, someone who's not me is cooking! Should I get the fire extinguisher?" she joked, causing everyone to laugh. Sheila joined the others and Chris turned the oven off before hurrying into the utility room. When he emerged a few minutes later, he was carrying three bunches of flowers which he handed to the ladies at the table.

"These are for you" he announced as they took the flowers from him

"They're lovely" Georgia exclaimed

"Yeah, but what are they for?" Sheila questioned

"Yeah, and where are mine?" Kyle asked, mock-offended

Chris chuckled before pulling a six-pack of beer from the fridge, "I thought you'd prefer these" he replied as he passed the gift to the other man

"You thought right" Kyle sniggered

"So, not that we don't appreciate this but what's with the presents?" Georgia asked

"They're an apology and a 'thank you'" Chris revealed, "I've been a jerk lately to say the least and you've all been there for me, trying to help me even though I didn't appreciate it"

The others smiled gratefully at him, "Well you've been through a lot lately" Georgia pointed out

"Yeah, but that doesn't excuse my behaviour" Chris reminded her, "But I'm sorting it all out now so you don't have to worry about me anymore"

Kyle shook his head, "We're always going to worry about you, dude" he muttered, "We care about you and want you to be ok"

"I will be" Chris assured him softly, "Though I won't be if I've stuffed up the recipe and poisoned everyone!"

The others laughed but gave each other uneasy glances and formed a silent agreement to reassure Chris that the meal was delicious even if it wasn't. Fortunately for everyone at the table, the meal was great and it was the first opportunity in a while that they had to talk and laugh together, something that Chris would never take for granted again. He decided against telling them about Manuel and instead to put everything that had happened recently in the past so that he could focus on the future. Chris knew that getting help for his problems would be difficult, but the fact that he had the support from his family and friends was definitely going to help him to move forwards.

* * *

_Thanks for reading. This story did come from nowhere but – looking back – I didn't like the idea that Chris' downward spiral was all about Hudson and was solved instantly by talking to him, so I wanted to experiment a bit. Also, it would have been amazing if the show had touched upon this (though as a G-rated show, I'm not sure how much they'd get away with) at the time .Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots then let me know, and remember that reviews are always welcome!_


	25. Chapter 25

**Just frienemies**

_It was kind of annoying that less than a week after Nate rejected Aaron so harshly when Aaron confessed his true feelings to him, they went back to acting as though nothing had ever happened. So this is my way of filling in the gaps of what might have happened between episode 7205 and 7207._

* * *

Nate laughed as his remote control car zoomed past Tyler's whilst they were racing each other down Ramsay Street.

"That's the second time I've smashed you!" he exclaimed, "You're losing your touch, man"

Tyler wasn't about to admit that he wasn't really concentrating because his head was preoccupied with fears about his dad's temper, so he shrugged, "I'm just letting you win"

"Yeah, right" Nate snorted before making his car nudge Tyler's. Tyler glanced up and noticed Aaron emerging from number 22 after spending the morning rehearsing a routine with Josh.

"Hey Az" Tyler greeted

Aaron smiled at Tyler, "Hey bro" he called out in response, but his face dropped as soon as his eyes met Nate's. The blond man lowered his head before hurrying back to number 24 without saying anything to him, leaving Nate watching after him regretfully.

Tyler noticed the tension between them and turned to Nate with his eyebrows raised, "Woah, I haven't seen Aaron ignore anyone like that since…" he paused uncomfortably, "since dad"

Nate shook his head, "I didn't expect him to do a complete U-turn on me" he muttered

"Yeah, what actually happened between you two?" Tyler asked, "One minute he's following you around, being your man-slave, then the next he's saying that the arrangement's off and that you're not interested"

Nate nodded, "He joked about having feelings for me and I kind of reacted badly" he admitted shamefully

Tyler was confused, "What do you mean 'he joked'?"

"He said something like the reason he was being my slave was because he really liked me, when we both know that it was to make himself feel better about injuring me during Tai Chi" Nate replied determinedly

Tyler groaned, "Mate, you are so dense sometimes!"

Nate raised an eyebrow, "You mean he actually **does** like me?" he clarified

"Yes, you idiot!" Tyler cried

"Why?" Nate questioned

"Why are you an idiot?" Tyler repeated, "Because you can't see what's right in front of you!"

Nate shook his head, "No, why does he like me?" he asked seriously, "All we do is insult each other, so how could he have feelings for me?"

Tyler shrugged, "Feelings are feelings, you can't control them" he pointed out

Nate considered this, but was unsure whether Tyler was telling him the truth or not. After all, he and Tyler joked around with each other a lot, plus Tyler and Aaron were brothers so Aaron could have told Tyler to confirm his feelings to Nate or Tyler could just be telling Nate that Aaron has feelings for him as another joke.

Tyler sighed, "Look, I'm not gonna tell you what to do because you're my best mate and he's my brother, plus I did try to set you guys up together, so I don't want to seem biased" he began, "But you need to figure out how you feel and what you want before Aaron decides to never speak to you again" he paused, "Though based on how he's acting now, you'd better hurry up"

Nate gazed over at number 24 thoughtfully. He knew that he was attracted to Aaron but he had just assumed that it was purely physical. Now that there was a possibility that Aaron's feelings ran deeper, Nate started to question how he really felt about the older man.

xxx

Nate dried one of the glasses nervously as he waited for Aaron to arrive. He felt slightly guilty about taking Tyler's mobile phone and inviting Aaron to The Waterhole under false pretences, but based on Aaron's recent behaviour, he knew that Aaron wouldn't agree if he knew that Nate wanted to talk to him. Aaron was puzzled when he looked around The Waterhole and couldn't see Tyler anywhere, whilst Nate tried his best to appear calm and collected despite his pounding heart.

Aaron reluctantly approached Nate at the bar, "Hey, have you seen Tyler?" he asked slowly

Nate shook his head and Aaron looked annoyed, "He asked me to meet him here right now" he muttered, "You know what? I'm gonna go and look for him"

As Aaron turned away Nate stepped out from behind the bar, "No, don't bother. Tyler didn't text you, **I** did"

Aaron's face fell, "Oh" he murmured, "I should go" he added before beginning to walk away.

Nate rushed over to him and grabbed his arm in order to stop him, "Please stay" he begged, "I'll get you a drink on the house. I really need to talk to you"

Aaron held his gaze for a few moments - ignoring how his stomach flipped at the physical contact - before eventually giving in, sitting down in front of the bar and ordering an orange juice.

Nate smiled slightly before preparing his drink, trying to figure out how he was going to word his thoughts, "Look, I'm really sorry for rejecting you..." he hesitated and Aaron's eyes lit up as he assumed that that was the end of the sentence and that Nate was about to admit that he reciprocated Aaron's feelings. Nate **was** considering ending the sentence there but was still unsure whether Aaron was joking about his feelings and didn't want to make an idiot out of himself, so he added, "...the **way** I did the other day"

Aaron was disappointed but shook his head quickly, unable to meet his gaze, "It's fine, honestly" he replied flatly

"No, it's not" Nate argued gently, "There was no excuse for me being so rude to you"

"It doesn't matter" Aaron assured him shakily, "We're just joking around with each other, right? Nothing personal"

Nate nodded slowly as he passed him his drink, and Aaron continued, "Besides, you were right when you said that we should go back to not being able to stand each other. So let's just pretend that everything from the Tai Chi disaster onwards never happened"

Nate grimaced, "Do you mind if we go back a bit further?" he asked, "I mean to before you were attacked, I don't really like thinking about that night"

Aaron nodded, "Because of your panic attack?"

Nate was actually referring to the violent attack itself, wanting to forget that anyone would actually hurt Aaron on purpose, but instead just nodded, "Yeah"

Aaron smiled weakly, "Then yeah, consider that night non-existent" he murmured

This was followed by a tense pause before Nate suddenly asked, "Actually, did the police ever find the guy who attacked you?"

Aaron shrugged, "I doubt it" he muttered before taking a gulp of his drink

"But didn't Mark get involved?" Nate pointed out

Aaron nodded, "Yeah, but I didn't want to press charges against the guy"

"Why not?" Nate cried, "He threw alcohol in your face and punched you in the guts, it could have been a hate crime or something!"

"It wasn't!" Aaron argued, "That Milla chick that I tried to set Josh up with was his girlfriend, and I basically called her a skank in front of everyone. So I guess I got what I deserved"

Nate was horrified, "No-one deserves that" he argued, his heart breaking for the other man

Aaron shook his head, "It doesn't matter anymore" he murmured, "Remember, we agreed that none of it ever happened"

Nate was reluctant to let it go but Aaron's earnest expression made him give in, "Well I guess I can't argue with you then, can I?"

Aaron smirked, "Nope, so don't even try"

Nate smiled back at him softly and they held each other's gazes for a few moments. Nate's heart had barely returned to its usual pace before it started thudding rapidly again as his eyes locked with Aaron's.

"So, we're going back to…" Nate paused as he tried to figure out what the state of their relationship was, "Annoying each other then?"

Aaron shrugged, "I think the proper phrase is 'frenemies'" he chuckled

Nate considered this, "Not a fan of the term, but I guess it'll do" he replied

"In that case, 'eyebrows'" Aaron began teasingly, referring to the once-used nickname that he had given him a few weeks earlier

Nate interrupted him by raising one of his spock-like eyebrows comically, "Who are you calling 'eyebrows'?" he joked

Aaron laughed as he hopped off his seat, "I should probably head off. I'll see you around"

Nate nodded, "Yeah, see you" he murmured as Aaron strutted out of The Waterhole. Nate watched after him thoughtfully, still not quite knowing whether Aaron had been lying about having feelings for him and whether they could just be 'frenemies' now that Nate's true feelings had dawned on him.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! I was suddenly inspired to write this (when I should have been doing Uni work instead) because the time-jump on the show was frustrating, but it was quite tricky to keep to continuity. As I've previously said, I've got a busy time ahead with Uni work but if anyone has any ideas for one-shots then just let me know and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, remember that reviews are always welcome!_


	26. Chapter 26

**Web-chat**

_Prompted by 'Tori' and set around episode 7250, this one-shot gives some context to Chis and Lucy's appearance._

* * *

Lucy picked Anne up, "I still can't believe Amber went into labour in the middle of a fire!" she exclaimed

Chris nodded in agreement, "Yeah, she must have been so scared" he murmured as he set up the video-chat, "She's been through so much this year, but she's really brave"

"So I guess my waters breaking in 'Whole Foods' wasn't quite so spectacular compared to that, then?" she muttered

Chris chuckled, "Not quite, but it felt terrifying at the time"

Lucy grinned and sat down next to Chris on the couch, "When did we agree to chat with her?" she asked

Chris glanced at the time on the computer, "Any minute now" he replied slowly, "She mentioned something about going to The Waterhole, and the Wi-Fi there can be a bit dodgy sometimes so we might have to wait for a bit"

"Why's she going to The Waterhole when there's internet connection at number 32?" she questioned

Chris shrugged, "She didn't say, but I'm guessing that with everything going on with Brad, Lauren and Terese that she doesn't really want to be spending that much time at home right now"

Lucy pulled a face, "No, I guess if I was in her position I'd want to be as far away from all of that drama as possible"

Chris nodded, "Definitely" he agreed, then let out a breath, "Wow, who'd have thought Erinsborough would be more exciting and dramatic than New York?"

Lucy was taken aback, "Should I take that personally?" she joked

Chris shook his head, "No, New York is perfect for us" he assured her before sniggering, "Strange to think I originally planned to come here for a couple of weeks to clear my head, and nearly eight months later I'm still here and can't imagine being anywhere else"

Lucy smiled, "Well **I** for one am glad" she replied, "And so is Jem"

Chris grinned at the mention of his boyfriend's name, then kissed his daughter's head, "I hope the little one is glad too, because I can't imagine trying to commute from Australia to America every three months to be with her"

Lucy chuckled, "She'd better be" she replied, then thought to herself for a few moments, "Hang on, doesn't Nate work at The Waterhole now?" she questioned

Chris nodded, "Yeah, why?" he asked, still slightly bemused by the fact that his ex-army ex-boyfriend would be the trainee manager of the local pub

"If Amber's doing the chat there, Nate might be there too" Lucy pointed out

Chris shrugged, "Well if he is, then we can say 'hi'" he replied awkwardly, "I don't really know how much Nate knows about what's going on. I mean, I didn't tell him about me and Jem **or** Anne"

"Why not?" Lucy questioned in confusion

Chris narrowed his eyes at her, "Would you really be jumping at the chance to tell your ex that you've moved on? Or that the main reason for the break-up has just made its way into the world?"

"I guess not" Lucy sighed

Chris frowned in regret of what he had just said and stroked his daughter's cheek, "You're not the reason for Nate and I breaking up, sweetie. It was a long time coming" he assured her quietly before glancing at Lucy, "I didn't tell him because there's a thing called 'sensitivity', and I didn't want it to be weird. We agreed to be friends after I left, even though we weren't ever really friends before, but he's still my ex and there should be a set of rules about what you can and can't say to them"

Lucy sniggered at Chris' earnest ramblings, "Don't get all wound up about it" she murmured, "I agree with you but considering how close everyone is in Ramsay Street, he's probably going to find everything out sooner or later"

Chris grimaced, "I guess" he sighed before suddenly asking, "Do you think I could get away with asking Amber how Nate's doing without it sounding odd?"

"You could give it a go" Lucy responded, "Just be careful that he doesn't overhear you and think you're stalking him or something"

Chris chuckled uneasily. The last thing he wanted was to make anyone feel uncomfortable, least of all Nate. He was interrupted from his thoughts with the notification that Amber was trying to call them. Seeing her face on the screen still made Chris feel homesick, even though he would consider New York his home now. Especially seeing The Waterhole again brought back a whole load of memories including his goodbye party, which was originally supposed to be a 'farewell **for now**' party, but it didn't turn out like that. However, Chris swallowed his feelings to greet the young woman on the screen.

"Hey guys" Amber greeted weakly in response, "How are you?"

"Tired, but good" Lucy replied

"We're more interested in how **you** are though" Chris added, "After everything that's happened, we hope you're ok"

Amber nodded, "Thanks, and I'm better" she replied, "It's been tricky, but we're all getting there"

"That's good to hear" Lucy told her honestly

As their conversation continued, Chris became more and more anxious to ask about Nate and was slightly disappointed by Amber's offhanded response when he finally did. He wasn't sure how creepy he sounded by asking Amber to pass on a message to his ex, but everyone knew how important Nate was to him so showing him some regard was the decent thing to do.

Chris was disappointed to end the chat so abruptly, but when a new-born baby needs a feed, it becomes the priority and nothing else is as important until the job is done. He sighed as he closed the laptop and Lucy rushed off with Anne, then sat in silence for a few moments in an attempt to clear his head. Feeling his mobile vibrating in his pocket, Chris retrieved it and noticed a text from Jem, wondering if he was available to meet up. Smiling, Chris replied that he would pick him up in five minutes before pocketing his phone and wallet, and letting Lucy know that he was going out with Jem for a while. Lucy let him go happily, realising that he needed to get out of the house and see his boyfriend so that he could forget about his old life and enjoy his new one.

xxx

Chris was silent for a while until Jem spoke up, "Let me guess, you're homesick?"

"What makes you say that?" Chris asked distantly

"Because I asked you how the video chat went and all you did was shrug" he pointed out, "And now you're pushing me which I know is your way of avoiding having to talk"

Chris rolled his eyes and continued pushing Jem's wheelchair down the street, then Jem sighed, "Now you're rolling your eyes, aren't you?"

"No I'm not" Chris argued unconvincingly, annoyed that his boyfriend knew him so well that he didn't even have to look a him to know what he was doing.

Jem sniggered, "I know when you're lying, Teddy" he remarked

Chris almost froze. Although Jem sometimes called him 'Teddy' as a nickname, he was unnerved by him using it now considering that he had just been thinking about Nate, who also used to use that nickname.

Chris suddenly couldn't move, but soon realised that Jem had put the brakes on to prevent Chris from pushing him anymore and was tugging at one of his hands. Chris moved round so that Jem could see him and the other man gazed at him thoughtfully.

"What's going on?" he asked

Chris shook his head, "Nothing"

"I know it's not 'nothing'" Jem replied, "You can tell me, you know"

Chris nodded, "I know, but it's difficult to explain to someone who doesn't know what things were like in Erinsborough"

"I know enough" Jem retorted, "I know about the people you lived with in Ramsay Street and I know a lot about your parents. I know some of your friends and I know what you went through after that Josh guy punched you. And I also know about Aidan, Hudson and Nate, just like you know everything you know about me"

Chris smiled slightly, "After all that, how do you still put up with me?"

Jem grinned, "Well I've been told I have the patience of a saint" he joked, "But it's mainly because I love you and want to be with you regardless of your baggage, though I'm hardly one to talk about 'baggage'"

Chris sniggered, "You're not** that** bad"

"Thanks" Jem drawled dryly, "Anyway, back to you. What happened earlier to make you go all pensive?"

Chris sighed, "Lucy and I were talking to Amber online-"

"Hang on, Amber's the one who went into labour during the fire, and whose baby has CDH, right?" Jem clarified

Chris nodded, "Yeah, that's the one. Anyway, she was doing the video chat in the bar where Nate works and I may have stupidly brought him up in conversation"

"Why 'stupidly'?" Jem asked

"Because I shouldn't have" Chris pointed out, "We broke up ages ago and I've moved on, I didn't do it because of some unresolved feelings for him or anything" he groaned, "I don't know why I did it"

"Because you still care about him and want to know how he's doing?" Jem interjected

"Well I don't 'care about him' in a romantic way anymore" Chris muttered, "But yeah, I guess so"

"Chris, there's nothing wrong with that" Jem assured him, "Wanting to know how Nate's doing doesn't mean you're still hung up on him, it's actually better because it means that you're over him and can just talk about him casually now"

Chris considered this, "You always know the right thing to say"

Jem shrugged, "I do pride myself on that" he joked

Chris sniggered but shook his head, "Anyway, I'm guessing you didn't want to meet up just to ask me about the video chat"

Jem glanced away, "No, not really" he admitted, "I do have another motive"

"And what might that be?" Chris enquired

"I think I left some stuff behind last time I stayed at yours" he replied, "And I was hoping to get it back"

Chris gazed at him thoughtfully for a few moments and Jem was confused, "What's that look for?" he questioned, then looked panicked, "What have you done with my stuff, Chris?"

"Nothing" Chris chuckled, "I actually didn't realise you left anything behind, so it should still be there"

Jem nodded, "Good. In that case, do you mind if we go in and get it?"

Chris hesitated, "Why don't you just leave it?" he suggested

Jem was taken aback by Chris' reply, "Because one of the items I left there was my favourite pair of sneakers, so even though I can't walk I would still like them back"

Chris shook his head nervously, "No, I meant what if you moved all of your stuff in?"

Jem narrowed his eyes at him, "Are you suggesting that I move in with you?"

"No, I'm suggesting that you give me all of your clothes!" Chris responded sarcastically, "Yes, I want you to move in with me"

Jem glanced away silently and Chris' face fell, "Unless you don't want to, because that's ok-"

Jem shook his head, "No, I do" he assured him, "But have you forgotten that my brother lives with me? I can't just abandon him"

"Yeah, but you told me last week that he's been staying at your dad's more often, and since you spend so much time at mine, you've essentially got an empty house" Chris pointed out

Jem considered this, "I know but I'm just thinking about the practicalities" he replied, "The main problem is that my place is designed especially for my wheelchair and-"

"Yeah, but you've never had any trouble at mine and Lucy's place" Chris reminded him

"That's different" Jem replied, "I don't **live** there, and you'd have to make a lot of changes for it to be more suitable for a wheelchair user if I moved in. I'm just not sure it's worth the hassle"

Chris considered this and Jem continued, "Plus, if I sold my place and someone bought it, and then we broke up then I'd be stuck until I found another place that could be adapted to me"

Chris pulled a face, "Wow, way to have confidence in our relationship" he muttered sardonically

Jem sighed, "I'm not being pessimistic, I'm trying to be **realistic**; we need to think about every eventuality" he argued, "I'm happy with you and I want us to have a future together. In fact, I would have suggested that you move in with me, but you already live with your daughter so moving away from her would be a bit pointless"

Chris nodded slowly, "So, basically it's a 'no' to moving in, then?"

Jem smiled sadly, "It's an 'I'll think about it'" he replied

Chris was pleasantly surprised, "Really?" he questioned

Jem nodded, "As long as you give me my stuff back first" he replied

Chris laughed before kissing his boyfriend triumphantly and returning to pushing Jem in the direction of his home, hoping that one day it would become Jem's home too. Chris was prepared to do anything that needed to be done to make things easier for him for whenever he decided to move in with him. Moving in with someone was a big step, but as a couple they had already overcome several obstacles and had grown stronger together, so he was sure that this one wasn't going to break them either.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'Guest' for the prompt: I wasn't sure what you were hoping for or exactly which way this was going to go, but because the web-chat was so short and raised a few questions, I wanted to fill in some gaps rather than to go in an entirely different direction. By the way, I've had the character of Jem in mind for a while and had built a bit of a back-story for him, so I was desperate to include him - though his being in a wheelchair wasn't inspired by Toadie or anything. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots then just let me know and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, remember that reviews are always welcome!_


	27. Chapter 27

**Second date continuation**

_I was suddenly inspired to write this recently. Set after the events of episode 7218, this is my idea of how Nate and Aaron end their second date._

* * *

Aaron smiled as his kiss with Nate ended, "Bet you've never been in a fight that's ended like **that** before" he murmured as he loosened his grip on the taller man

Nate shook his head, "No, I haven't" he admitted, "And I haven't been in many play-fights either"

Aaron looked offended, "Hey, it felt pretty real to me!"

Nate grinned, "So you haven't been in many **real** fights then?" he teased

Aaron pulled a face at him and stepped away, "It doesn't matter anyway because if I ever am, you'll be there as my 'Nate in shining armour' to rescue me". Noticing Nate's confused expression, Aaron elaborated, "That's what Josh called you after I told him that you were the one who saved me from being attacked"

Nate considered this, "'Nate in shining armour'" he repeated, "Yeah, I quite like that"

Aaron narrowed his eyes at him, "Really? More than 'eyebrows'?"

Nate rolled his eyes, "Anything's better than 'eyebrows'"

Aaron laughed, "Well tough, because I'm not going to stop calling you that"

Nate suddenly pulled Aaron into a rough kiss, "What about now?" he asked against his lips

Aaron paused as if to mull this over, "Hmmm, nope"

"Well, I tried" he shrugged

Aaron chuckled, "And I enjoyed that attempt" he retorted as Nate wrapped an arm around him to lead him away.

xxx

As the couple made their way back to Ramsay Street, Nate was suddenly struck with an idea, "Hey, I was thinking that we should get together for the footy finals. You know, order in some food and have a few beers, just the two of us" he suggested to the shorter man

Aaron hesitated and grimaced, "That sounds really cool, but I kind of have a confession to make"

Nate glanced at him, "What?"

"I actually couldn't care less about football" he revealed, "I just brought it up to try and make conversation"

Nate was surprised and stopped walking, "Really?" he questioned, "Because you were pretty well-informed about it earlier"

Aaron stopped as well and shrugged as he turned to face him, "Well Josh told me that you were into footy so I did a quick bit of research on it just before I went to yours, but I've just never really got into it"

Nate was quite touched, "That's actually kind of sweet"

"You mean me pretending to know about something that I have no interest in?" Aaron clarified

Nate shook his head, "For at least making the effort and pretending to be interested in it to please me"

"Well I didn't want us to be sitting in an awkward silence for the whole night" Aaron replied, "I needed to come up with something for us to talk about"

They both started walking again but there was a lingering silence as the guys were deep in thought, "I didn't really think that our differences would cause these kinds of problems" Nate admitted, "If anything, I thought it would make things more interesting"

"It can" Aaron pointed out, "But it's still early days, I'm sure we'll find common ground at some point"

"If not then we just pretend we like each other's interests when we don't, and then do research on it during out spare time?" Nate added

Aaron shrugged, "I'm game if you are"

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Nate asked uncertainly

"Definitely" Aaron replied without hesitation

Nate was taken aback, "Wow, you didn't even need to think about that" he breathed

"Why would I?" Aaron asked, "Just because we have more differences than similarities doesn't mean I like you any less"

Nate smiled tenderly, "Same here"

Aaron grinned at Nate finally admitting that he reciprocated his feelings. Although Aaron already realised that by the fact that he and Nate had been on a couple of dates, Nate saying it aloud officially confirmed it. Practically buzzing from Nate's admission, Aaron grasped Nate's hand in his own as they continued to wander back to Ramsay Street. Nate was taken aback by Aaron's actions, but was secretly thrilled. Holding hands didn't feel awkward, it felt comfortable, natural and right for them which confirmed to both guys that all of the problems that they had overcome to get to this point had been worth it.

xxx

As they entered Ramsay Street, both of the guys had inwardly decided to walk the other person to their front door. However, as Nate moved towards number 24, Aaron moved in the direction of number 28, which pulled them apart and unlinked their hands.

They exchanged a puzzled glance, "What are you doing?" Nate asked

"I was just about to ask **you** that" Aaron replied

"I was going to walk you to your door" Nate pointed out

Aaron smiled slightly, "So was I"

Both Nate and Aaron chuckled in realisation, "That's one of the problems when it's two guys" Nate laughed, "There are no set rules for this kind of thing"

Aaron shrugged, "Why should gender matter? Can't a woman walk a man home?"

Nate nodded, "True, but it still doesn't help us"

Aaron considered this, "Well I just wanted to be a gentleman" he muttered

Nate smiled, "Me too, and I thought it made sense because your house is closer to the top of the street than mine is"

Aaron nodded, "Yeah, I guess that is logical" he admitted, "But next time, I'm walking you to your place"

Nate was inwardly triumphant that there would be a 'next time' and took Aaron's hand again before walking him up the steps to his front door.

xxx

Nearly ten minutes after Nate had walked Aaron up the steps and kissed him goodnight, they were still kissing on the front porch with little regard to the time.

Nate pulled away momentarily, "I reckon I could do this all night" he murmured as he pulled Aaron closer.

Aaron captured his lips again, "There's nothing stopping us" he pointed out before nodding towards the door, "We could always go inside"

Nate seriously considered his offer, but shook his head and stepped out of Aaron's hold, "As tempting as that sounds, I'm working first thing tomorrow and I wanted to fit in a bike ride beforehand as well"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot you were a mad cyclist" Aaron joked

Nate avoided his gaze, "I'm not 'mad'" he argued unconvincingly, "I only got into a **couple** of arguments about it with Imogen"

Aaron laughed, "Well I know from experience that you can hold your own in a fight, but Imogen is pretty stubborn"

Nate shrugged, "We came to a mutual understanding in the end" he hummed

"I can imagine" Aaron chuckled before letting out a breath, "You know, I used to love cycling" he admitted, "I wouldn't go out at unearthly hours like you do, but my brothers and I used to race each other around the park from time to time, it was awesome"

Aaron's thoughtfulness was a new experience for Nate, who studied his wistful expression carefully, "Why don't you join me for a ride tomorrow?" he offered

Aaron shrugged, "I didn't bring my bike with me" he replied

"No problem, you can borrow Karl's" Nate pointed out

"But I like my lie-ins" Aaron whined

Nate laughed, "I'm pretty sure I can win you around" he teased, "Look, why don't I ring you in the morning to give you enough time to wake up and get ready, then I'll bring the bike over to yours so it'll be there as soon as you leave and we can go straight away?"

Aaron considered his offer and nodded, "Sounds good" he replied, "And thanks for dinner, by the way. It was great, except from the…" he hesitated

"The **everything**?" Nate suggested knowingly

Aaron sniggered, "Yeah" he admitted, then paused, "though the ending wasn't so bad"

Nate smiled, "No, it wasn't" he agreed before kissing him again gently, "I'll see you in the morning then?"

Aaron nodded, "Yep, bright and early" he grumbled jokingly

Nate chuckled, "Goodnight" he murmured and gave a quick wave as he jogged down the steps. Aaron watched after him, almost bursting with joy and energy at the turn of events. He took a moment to calm down before entering the house and preparing to get a good night's sleep in preparation for his early-morning bike ride with Nate.

xxx

Nate grinned to himself as he reflected on the previous night, and both Susan and Karl were bemused by Nate's demeanour when he practically skipped into the kitchen early in the morning, dressed in his cycling gear. Retrieving his phone, Nate decided to call Aaron in order to give him enough time to get ready for their bike ride.

Aaron groaned as his mobile rang next to his bed. He slowly reached over to answer it and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"This is your wake-up call, Mr Tatum" Nate greeted playfully, referencing Aaron's idea the previous night of Channing Tatum playing him if there was ever a movie released about them

"What's wrong with you?" Aaron mumbled in agitation, "No-one should ever be awake this early"

Nate scoffed, "Tell that to Karl and Susan"

"Yeah, well they have jobs that they need to be up for, so it's not their choice" Aaron retorted lazily, "You, on the other hand, have no excuse"

"Are you joining me or what?" Nate laughed

"Yeah, just give me a minute or so to wake up" Aaron yawned, "And by 'wake up', I mean 'fall asleep again'"

"I'll give you ten minutes to get dressed and come outside" Nate told him

"Fine" Aaron huffed, "This bike ride had better be good"

"It's a bike ride with Nate Kinski, it's gonna be better than 'good'" Nate joked

"I'll hold you to that" Aaron muttered

"Of course you will" Nate replied dryly, "See you in a bit"

He quickly hung up the phone and sauntered outside to fetch the bikes for himself and Aaron, whilst Aaron dragged himself out of bed to get himself ready for the day ahead.

He was interrupted from his stupor by a knock on the door, "What?" Aaron grumbled to whoever was on the other side

Tyler poked his head around the door, "Who's calling you at this time in the morning?"

Aaron rubbed his eyes, "Nate"

Tyler grinned, "Ooh!" he sang, "Meeting up for dinner, early morning phone calls, what's going on between you two?"

"Nothing" Aaron shrugged, "Yet"

Tyler pulled a face, "Well I'll be waiting for you to finally admit that I was right all those weeks ago when I tried to set you guys up"

"Well if you don't help me find appropriate cycling gear then there won't be anything for you to be right about" Aaron huffed

Tyler folded his arms and shook his head, "Nope, I've done my job. It's down to you now" he chuckled before giving his brother a quick wave and scurrying away. Aaron watched after him in annoyance, but was cheered up by the thought of seeing Nate again.

xxx

Aaron was practically gasping for air once he and Nate had finished their bike-ride. Nate had effortlessly stayed ahead of Aaron the whole time, whilst Aaron struggled to keep up with him. Ending up outside number 24, Aaron clumsily climbed off of the bike and struggled to get enough air into his lungs, whereas Nate hopped off of his own bike and casually removed his gloves.

"You're insane" Aaron panted, "You ride that thing like you're a race-car driver"

Nate grinned, "Well, I wouldn't say 'no' to doing **that** for a living" he joked before nudging the shorter man, "But hey, you weren't so bad yourself"

Aaron scoffed, "Are you kidding? I was amateur compared to you, you barely broke a sweat" he exclaimed, "I didn't realise how unfit I was"

Nate shook his head and took a step closer to him, "I wouldn't call you **un**fit" he teased

Aaron rolled his eyes at Nate's cheesiness, "You're such a dag" he muttered, but closed the space between them to capture Nate's lips in a kiss that he had desired all morning. Neither of them had realised that they had let go of their bikes until they were interrupted by a loud crash as both bikes fell to the ground. They pulled away from each other and laughed as they realised what had happened.

Nate stepped away to pick up his bike, "Well I guess that's the signal for me to go and get ready for work"

Aaron nodded as he picked up his bike, slightly disappointed, "And for me to go back to bed for more beauty sleep"

Nate shook his head, "You don't need it"

Aaron smiled tenderly, inwardly surprised at the taller man's change of character. He was used to the cynical, witty Nate, not the flirtatious but tender Nate; though Aaron quite liked it.

"Well I don't want to argue with you, so..." Aaron joked, causing Nate to laugh, "But I do have a rehearsal with Josh later on, so I can't sleep in too late"

Nate nodded, only now realising how uncomfortable he felt at the thought of Aaron's job, "Well just make sure you rest enough, eat well and have fun, I guess"

Aaron smiled, "I will" he assured him before kissing him once more, "I'll see you later"

Nate returned the smile, "Yeah, see you" he replied before wheeling the bikes back to number 28. Despite the workout wearing them out, both men were full of adrenaline at the mere act of spending time together. Aaron almost wished that he didn't have a show later on so that he could spend more time with Nate, even if it meant sitting at the bar all afternoon and distracting his boyfriend while he was trying to work. Aaron paused as he made his way up the front steps: was it too early to think of Nate as his boyfriend? They had only been on a couple of dates and hadn't really discussed making it official, but all he knew was that he wanted to carry on dating Nate and enjoy the excitement of getting to know each other even better.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! This chapter was a bit random, but even with the weird play-fighting, I thought Nate and Aaron's date was really sweet and I was inspired to carry on from where it ended. Also, it probably seems a bit strange to write one-shots that don't involve Chris considering the title of the story, but now that I'm inspired to write more Nate and Aaron one-shots as well, if anyone could come up with a better title that encompasses all of the one-shots then that would be much appreciated!_

_By the way, to the guest who left the request from chapter 26 (I can't PM you to ask you this): what sort of injuries did you have in mind for Chris, and where do you generally want the one-shot to go? _

_Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


	28. Chapter 28

**Montague**

_Prompted by 'Guest' and set around episode 6853, this one-shot focuses on Chris' fight with Danni's evil ex-boyfriend, Stephen. _

* * *

Chris hadn't been so annoyed with himself in ages, probably since he kept his relationship with Aidan a secret from his parents two years earlier. He raced to number 24, inwardly kicking himself for telling Stephen that Danni was at home: if he had realised that the guy was his boss' abusive ex-boyfriend then he would have sent him on a wild goose chase or something to get him out of Erinsborough. Now he had put Danni's life in danger, and possibly his and Mark's as well, and he had to do whatever it took to stop Stephen from hurting anyone.

Christ burst through the front door but was met with an empty living room. He wasn't sure whether he was irritated or relieved, but checked around the room and down the hallway, calling out to Danni. Not receiving any response, Chris called Mark to let him know that Danni was nowhere to be seen. However, just as he turned around, he was shocked to find Stephen standing only a few metres away wielding a vase. Chris' immediate instinct was to grab the vase, which took a great amount of effort to wrestle against Stephen for. After a struggle, Chris managed to release the vase from Stephen's grasp and it fell to the floor, smashing to pieces. Chris took the opportunity to punch Stephen in the chest, winding him slightly. However, Stephen retaliated by kneeing Chris in the ribs, which sent a searing pain through Chris' body. It was more painful than it should have been and Chris struggled to get his breath back, which Stephen took advantage of by grabbing him in a head-lock. The pain was increasing due to the terror that Chris felt, so he did the first thing he could think of to get out of it by kicking his leg backwards into Stephen's groin. Stephen's grip loosened on him as he fell down, and Chris grabbed the other man's right arm before twisting it behind his back to hold him in place.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Chris hissed at the man writhing under his hold

"You know exactly what I'm doing here" Stephen retorted

"You're not gonna get Danni back, you know" Chris breathed

"Well you're the one who led me here, remember?" Stephen pointed out, reminding Chris about earlier at Charlie's when he had told him that Danni would be at home, "And you lied to me, didn't you?" he growled

"Well I wish I'd told you she'd left town" Chris replied, "I didn't know you were Stephen Montague, and if I had then I would have stopped you-"

"It's too late now, isn't it?" Stephen laughed, "And it's tragic that you know my name even though we've never properly met before"

Chris exhaled heavily, the pain increasing even more as he held Stephen down, "You've got a bad reputation around here"

"Is that right, Chris Pappas?" he teased

Chris accidentally loosened his grip in surprise, "Wait, how did you know-?"

Stephen jumped out of Chris' hold and copied what Chris had done to him before by holding an arm behind his back, "The main thing I've learnt about being in Erinsborough is that everyone knows everyone. You can thank that flicky-haired girl at the bar for telling me about you"

Chris realised that Stephen was referring to Naomi and was scared of what he might do to her if he managed to track her down. Chris cried out in pain and Stephen laughed before pushing him to the floor roughly.

"Look at you!" he cried, "For a second you had me thinking you were strong and tough, but you're just weak and pathetic, aren't you?"

Chris glanced up at him in fear and Stephen shook his head, "You know what, mate? You're not worth the hassle" he spat

Stephen delivered one last kick to the injured mechanic before fleeing the house through the back door. Chris groaned in pain and attempted to stand up, but could barely move.

The front door flew open as Mark, Danni and Sonya rushed in, "Mate, what happened?" Mark exclaimed as he spotted Chris on the floor

"S… Stephen" Chris wheezed and weakly pointed in the direction that Stephen had fled

Mark sprinted after him and Danni covered her mouth in shock, "He was here?"

Chris nodded before both Danni and Sonya put their arms around him to lift him up. The sudden movement caused more pain and Chris groaned.

"What did he do to you?" Danni asked worriedly

Chris shook his head, "He kneed me in the ribs" he panted

"He might have broken some of them" Sonya suggested as she realised how much pain he was in

Chris looked horrified as he realised that he was feeling the same pain that he had felt after he was attacked in 2011, which had left him with a broken rib that later punctured his lung and almost costed him his life.

Rather than panic the women, Chris smiled reassuringly at them, "I'll be fine" he breathed before limping over to the sofa where he gingerly lowered himself down onto the cushions.

"I'll get you some painkillers" Danni suggested before rushing over to the kitchen cupboards

Sonya watched Chris suspiciously, wondering if they should take him to the Hospital considering the pain that he was in from possibly breaking several ribs.

Once Mark had returned from failing to catch Stephen, he and the two women discussed what they needed to do next. Because Stephen would be difficult to find and get rid of, they decided it might be easier for Danni to leave. Fortunately, Danni was able to find a temporary place to stay but wondered how many lives she had put in danger by being in Erinsborough in the first place.

xxx

Chris had tried to pay attention to their conversation but the pain in his chest had become unbearable. The painkillers hadn't kicked in yet and Chris reached over to grab his glass of water from the table. After taking a sip, he started coughing uncomfortably, then took another sip to supress them. However, it only succeeded in making the coughs more violent. Chris continued to cough as he placed the glass back onto the table. Mark was about to scold him for not placing it back on the coaster, but noticed Chris coughing up blood into his hands.

Mark jumped up, "Woah, are you ok?" he asked as he grabbed some tissues for Chris

Chris nodded as he coughed into the tissues and Mark rubbed his back, "Try not to cough if you can" he instructed him

Sonya stood up, "We need to get him to the Hospital"

Chris shook his head fervently and Sonya looked worried, "Chris, this Stephen guy obviously did some real damage to you"

Danni nodded guiltily, "Yeah, you need to get yourself checked out, it could be serious" she warned him before retrieving her phone, "I'll call for an ambulance"

Mark nodded as he grabbed his own mobile, "I'll call Karl" he muttered, then noticed Danni's confused expression and elaborated, "He'll get here quicker and can help out"

Chris shook his head again helplessly and Sonya knelt down in front of him in concern whilst Mark and Danni busied themselves on their phones, "Why don't you want help?" she asked softly

Chris could barely speak in the midst of the pain and coughing but managed to wheeze, "Stephen… my fault… he's… here"

Sonya grabbed his wrist, "It's not your fault, it's no-one's fault" she assured him softly, "And you didn't deserve what he did to you". Noting Chris' doubtful expression she continued, "The last time you were beaten up like this, you broke a rib that punctured your lung and nearly killed you. Don't take a risk like that again"

Chris held her gaze for a few moments before nodding. Sonya stayed by his side whilst Karl arrived and examined him, rubbing his back comfortingly and reminding him to breathe slowly. Everything was a blur for Chris - from paramedics arriving to being taken to the Hospital in an ambulance - apart from the severe pain through his body and the fear of what Stephen was capable of if nobody stopped him.

xxx

Waking up in a Hospital bed feeling drowsy reminded Chris of his brush with death a couple of years earlier following his surgery. He was still in pain, although it was nowhere near as excruciating as it had been back at number 24. He silently hoped that the painkillers they put him on weren't as strong as they usually were. Chris had found out about his previous experiences with painkillers thanks to Andrew and Summer, who filled him in on all of his ramblings whilst he was high on pain relief. Though, he had been pleased when Aidan had confided in him once they were together that Chris on painkillers was the funniest and most adorable thing he had ever seen whilst on duty, and it was when he had started to develop feelings for him (though they were mainly feelings of endearment). Chris smiled to himself at the memory, though the grin was removed from his face and replaced by a look of apprehension as Karl entered. Fortunately, Karl assured Chris that the surgery had been successful, although he would have to stay in Hospital for the next few days so that his recovery could be monitored. Chris thanked Karl, but his relief turned to worry as thoughts of Stephen and Danni entered his mind.

Once Karl had confirmed to Sonya and Mark that Chris was allowed to have visitors, they practically sprinted into Chris' room to see him. Chris sat up in his bed as he saw them, but the sudden movement caused him more pain.

"Careful, mate" Mark exclaimed

Chris shook his head, "I'm ok" he panted, "What happened to Danni?"

"She's on her way to Adelaide" Sonya told him, "She'll be safe there, hopefully"

Chris nodded, "What about Montague?"

Mark shrugged, "He's still on the loose, but I'm sure we can get rid of him for good soon enough" he replied grimly

"'We'?" Chris questioned

"The police" Mark explained

"But you're not in the police force anymore" Sonya pointed out

"Once a cop, always a cop" Chris murmured

"And this is way too serious to leave to the cops, especially if I can do something about it" Mark continued, "As long as he's still around, we're all in danger"

Chris had stopped feeling relieved even before Mark had said those words, but after that he was terrified. Now he had to be on the lookout all of the time, even here in the Hospital bed anything could happen to him. As much as he didn't want Mark to get overly involved in the case, Chris hoped that Stephen Montague would be caught, arrested and locked away for good so that they wouldn't have to look over their shoulders or be frightened anymore.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! And thanks to 'Guest' for the prompt: I hope this was somewhat close to what you were hoping for. I wasn't really a fan of the Montague storyline, but getting to write it from a different perspective was actually quite interesting. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


	29. Chapter 29

**The Pappases**

_Prompted by 'aphass', this is a one-shot covering a few moments from Chris' last few months on the show that we didn't get to see between Chris and his parents._

* * *

**22****nd**** January 2015 (Chris telling his parents about Lucy's offer)**

Chris' mobile phone lay in the centre of the table in the back yard, whilst Chris wandered around the garden, glancing at it hesitantly every few paces. The young man was pondering how he was supposed to break the news to his parents that he was going to have a baby with Lucy. A million different scenarios played in his head, making Chris increasingly nervous. However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he spotted Sheila standing by the back door, watching him with a bemused expression.

"At this rate you're going to wear down the grass if you carry on like that" she joked

Chris smiled coyly, "Sorry, I'm just thinking"

"And you need to walk around to think?" she questioned

Chris shook his head, "Not normally" he replied, "But I'm trying to avoid my phone until I've decided what I'm going to say"

Sheila was confused, "Say to who about what?"

"My parents" Chris replied, "I need to tell them that Lucy and I decided to have a baby together"

"Hang on, they don't already know?" Sheila asked in surprise

Chris shook his head, "I don't know how to tell them" he admitted, "And I'm scared of how they might react"

Sheila sighed, "Isn't that the same excuse you used for not telling them about your relationship with Aidan? Or about Hudson being in prison?" she pointed out, "You were worried that they'd take it badly, but they didn't"

Chris nodded sombrely, "Yeah, I know" he exhaled, "But it's different this time. We're talking about creating a whole new person, not about my love-life"

Sheila folded her arms, "Your parents have always been your weakness, haven't they?"

Chris shrugged, "Kind of. I've never had a great relationship with my dad, and my mum's always been overprotective" he replied, "I mean, how am I supposed to tell them that their gay son is helping Paul Robinson's sister have a baby?"

Sheila grimaced, "Well now that you put it like that, it does sound weird" she remarked, "Maybe leave moneybags out of it"

Chris nodded grimly and Sheila held his gaze sympathetically, "Why don't you call them and ask them to meet you so that you can tell them in person?" she suggested, "That way you'll have more time to figure out what you want to say, and you won't be able to back out of it"

Chris considered this and Sheila continued, "If you want, you can invite them over here for lunch this afternoon and I'll cook something for you"

Chris was taken aback, "You'd really do that?" he asked, genuinely moved

Sheila nodded, "Just as long as you uphold your end of the deal" she replied

Chris nodded, "I will, thanks"

Sheila smiled at him before turning around and heading back inside. Chris watched after her thoughtfully before slowly wandering back to the table and picking up his mobile. He scrolled through the contacts until he reached 'Home' and stared at the number for a few moments, unsure whether he was going to call or not. Eventually he pressed on the green phone icon, and he managed to get through to his mum who agreed that she and George would meet him for lunch at number 26 in an hour's time. After he hung up, Chris let out a deep breath before chasing after Sheila to let her know that his parents were coming over.

xxx

Chris and his parents sat at the kitchen table in silence for a while. George and Patricia ate politely, but glanced up at Chris every few mouthfuls, noticing that he was just poking his food with his fork – which was unusual for him. There was nothing wrong with Sheila's cooking; in fact, Chris was probably the biggest fan of her meals and was usually the first person at the table whenever she made dinner. However, he had spent hours mulling over how he was going to break his huge piece of news to his parents, and even with them sitting across from him he was still unsure so he was too distracted to eat. Chris' parents wondered what was going on, because their son never acted like this unless he was anxious about something.

"How's Nate?" Patricia finally asked, breaking the long silence

"He's fine" Chris murmured

Patricia smiled, "I'm glad" she replied, "He's still seeing his counsellor then?"

Chris nodded and another silence overcame them. He had filled his parents in on Nate's background quite soon after they had gotten together, and they had both been intrigued by Nate and eager to meet him. However, Patricia had been rightfully concerned after Chris had suffered a brain injury a few months earlier and Nate was struggling as his carer, but had been reassured by Nate's commitment to her son. Chris had also told them about Nate almost burying Susan alive, and his guilt for not realising how serious Nate's PTSD really was. They had tried to convince him that he shouldn't feel guilty about it, and that Nate was seeing a qualified therapist in order to recover properly, and were glad that their relationship had strengthened as a result.

George quickly realised that Chris had some kind of secret that he was reluctant to share through his experience of Chris hiding news from them in the past, "Well, we take it that you haven't just invited us over for a spontaneous lunch…" he began

Chris glanced up at him, "How did you guess?" he asked nervously

"Because we know you" George answered, "What's going on Christos?"

Chris held his gaze momentarily, "There's something I have to tell you, and it might come as a shock"

George and Patricia shared a look. Quite a lot of Chris' confessions over the years had come as quite a shock such as coming out, his relationship with Aidan, Hudson being in prison, changing his statement about the coward-punch as well as the seriousness of his relationship with Nate. They stared at him expectantly, wondering what this piece of news could possibly be.

"What is it?" Patricia prompted

"You know my friend Lucy?" Chris began

George nodded, "Mayor Robinson's sister?" he clarified

Chris nodded, "Yeah" he muttered before taking a deep breath, "We're having a baby together"

His parents stared back at him in surprise. That was one of the last things they had ever expected to hear from their son.

"I'm sorry, what?" Patricia questioned

Chris exhaled, "Lucy and I are trying for a baby" he repeated

"Are you serious?" George asked in bewilderment

Chris nodded and Patricia looked confused, "But isn't Lucy your friend Andrew's aunt?" she questioned

"Yeah" Chris replied awkwardly, "I know the whole thing sounds strange, being the same age as my child's cousin, as well as all the other stuff-"

"Wait, how does the topic of having children come up between you and a woman who's double your age?" George cried

"She was helping me organise Kyle and Georgia's wedding, and we were looking after Nell for Sonya and Toadie when the subject just came up" Chris explained, "It was just before I met Nate, and we were both single and lonely, so we became really close"

"So close that you decided to have a baby together?" George clarified

Chris shrugged, "Lucy was desperate to have a baby, she still is" he continued, "I asked her to give me some more time because it was a huge decision that needed more than twenty-four hours to think about"

Patricia nodded, "Well at least you didn't rush into it" she noted

"That was the point" Chris replied, "I needed to think about every eventuality, and I have now. After everything that happened with Josh and being with Nate, it's made me realise how much I want this too"

"When did you decide to do it?" George asked

"Yesterday" Chris responded, "I wasn't sure at first because Nate doesn't want kids and I didn't want to upset him by going along with it, so I said 'no' to her-"

"Wait, you can't sacrifice what you want because of Nate" Patricia pointed out, "No matter how much you love him"

Chris sniggered, "That's kind of what Nate said. But he promised that he'd support me with whatever I decided, regardless of how he feels about having kids"

George nodded, "That's really mature of him" he murmured

Chris smiled, "I know, and I love him even more for it" he breathed, "But I eventually decided that I needed to do this. I mean, this could be my only chance to have a child"

"That's not entirely true" Patricia interjected, "There are lots of ways for you to do it"

Chris nodded, "Trust me, I know" he chuckled, "But I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have a baby with than with a friend like Lucy. She'll make a brilliant mum-"

"And you'll make a brilliant dad" Patricia interjected, then glanced over at George – who had been rather quiet – and covered one of his hands with one of hers, "Won't he, George?"

George just nodded with his eyes averted and Chris' heart fell, "Thanks" he breathed

"So you've thought this whole thing through, and Nate's on board with it" Patricia clarified, "What's next?"

Chris let out a breath, "We get started" he replied, "Lucy's ovulating so she wants to get going straight away"

"And you've waited until **now** to tell us?" George demanded, "Even though she suggested it months ago?"

Chris nodded slowly, "I wasn't sure how you'd react" he admitted

"How we'd react to having grandchildren?" Patricia asked

"Yeah" Chris replied, "I mean, you must have given up hope of having any after I came out"

Patricia shrugged, "The thought did occur to us" she confessed, "But there are loads of ways for anyone to have kids, and now we'll have grandchildren who are genetically part of the Pappas family"

"Well, the **Robinson**-Pappas family actually" Chris corrected her

Patricia rolled her eyes, "You know what I mean"

"So you're really okay with this?" Chris asked, referring to his dad in particular

Patricia glanced at George, "Yeah, we are. Aren't we?"

George nodded again, "Well you've already made up your mind so it's not like we can stop you, is it?"

Chris glanced away awkwardly, "I would have been upset if you weren't on board with this" he murmured, "But you're right, it wouldn't have stopped me from going through with it"

"So do it" George instructed softly, "If you really want this and you're ready for whatever lies ahead, then go for it"

Chris smiled in surprise, not expecting his dad's change in demeanour, "Really?"

George nodded, "Really" he replied, "As long as this is what you want"

"It is" Chris replied quietly. Although he was telling the truth, the gravity of the situation had suddenly hit him now that his parents had given him their blessing

"We'll be here for you one-hundred percent" Patricia assured him, squeezing her son's hand with her free hand

"Thank you" Chris whispered, touched by their support.

Followed by his parents, Chris stood up and they hugged each other as a group. Chris let out a deep breath: this was the beginning of the rest of his life. Although the future was unknown, with the support of his friends and family Chris was ready and willing to face whatever life was about to throw at him.

* * *

**28****th**** March 2015 (Chris' parents taking him to the airport)**

Chris barely said a word from the moment he arrived at his parent's house to the moment he got to the airport. He was too consumed in his own thoughts of Lucy, the baby, Nate and New York to even comprehend what was going on around him from one minute to the next. Patricia and George were worried about their son, who hardly touched his food at dinner or breakfast but they understood that he had a lot on his mind. The drive to the airport was a long silence, with Chris checking his rucksack over and over again to ensure that he had everything he needed for a couple of weeks in America to try to distract himself. They both helped Chris with his luggage once they arrived at the airport and Patricia reminded him to let them know if he needed more of his stuff sent out to him whilst he was there.

"You don't think I have enough for a fortnight or so?" Chris asked, suddenly out of his stupor and answering questions with more than just monosyllabic responses

Patricia glanced away, "Just in case you decide to stay longer" she murmured

"What makes you think I'll be doing that?" he questioned suspiciously, "Or do you want me to stay away?"

"Of course not" George argued, "We hope you come back, but we're not naïve enough to actually think that you will"

"What happened to me saying that I'm getting away for a **few weeks** to clear my head and help Lucy set up for the baby? Why have people got it into their heads that I'm never coming back?" he asked, confused as to why people were making assumptions about him. It wasn't so nice when the shoe was on the other foot, Chris realised as he remembered Nate complaining about him and Lucy making decisions regarding his future without letting him have a say in it.

Patricia's head dropped to the side, "It's New York, Christos" she began, "Your child is going to be raised there, your whole life will be there soon enough and you'll forget about Erinsborough"

Chris shook his head, "I'll never forget, not after everything that's happened there"

Patricia nodded, "And nobody will forget you" she assured him before taking his hand in one of hers and holding it up to his heart, "But I think you know in here that you won't be coming back any time soon"

"Why do people keep saying that?" Chris groaned, "First Nate, now you two?"

Patricia glanced to the floor, "Maybe he's right" she murmured

Chris scoffed, "If it wasn't for Nate I wouldn't even be here" he growled, surprising his parents and himself. He didn't think he would have any resentment towards Nate after everything that they had been through together, but all of the tension of the past few hours had brought out the worst in him

Patricia shook her head, "Nate said that he'd support you no matter what, right?" she began, "But a lot of the time, those kinds of things are easier said than done"

Chris nodded and sighed in realisation, "I was really unreasonable" he muttered, "I expected him to give up his life to live mine, a life that he never wanted"

Patricia and George gazed at him sympathetically as he continued, "I knew from the moment I told him about Lucy that he wouldn't want a part of it, but I got so caught up in the excitement of it all that I assumed he was as enthusiastic as I was"

"Not everyone wants kids" Patricia interjected

Chris shook his head, "I know. And I knew he wasn't in the right place in his life to do any of this" he added, "He was still struggling with his demons but had found stability for the first time in ages in Erinsborough, yet I was trying to force him away from it"

"It's a big commitment to make, no matter how long you've been together or how deep your love for each other is" Patricia pointed out

Chris nodded, "I always rush into these things, making out that the relationship is more serious than it actually is, and thinking that Nate and I could compromise"

George was confused, "How do you compromise on this?"

"I suggested that we do three months in America and three months in Australia" Chris replied, blushing at his own stupidity

"Do you even need us to point out how ridiculous that idea is?" Patricia asked, "A trainee manager of a hotel and an assistant at a garden centre are hardly going to be able to afford to commute halfway across the world every three months"

Chris sighed, "I know, it was a crazy idea but I was desperate to hold on to Nate, even though he couldn't compromise that much"

Patricia nodded in understanding, "I'm sorry it didn't work out between you two"

Chris nodded sombrely, "So am I" he whispered tearfully

"But if it's meant to be, it'll happen" she assured him, "And if not, you'll find someone who will be everything that you deserve"

Chris gulped, "I don't know what I deserve" he admitted quietly, "I'm such a mess"

George stepped forwards and pulled his son into a hug, "You're not a mess. You're our strong, amazing son"

Chris let the tears fall at his dad's words, but George stepped out of the embrace and wiped his son's tears away, "I know I don't say it much but I am so proud of you" he told him, "You've flourished from an insecure little kid to a fearless young man"

Chris shook his head, "I'm not fearless" he argued, "There's one thing I've never stopped being scared of… you"

George's face fell and Chris continued, "Getting approval from you guys is all I've ever wanted, but I've been so scared of failing you that I kept secrets from you, I lied and shut you out instead of being honest"

George glanced at Patricia and nodded, "Then we're also to blame, but especially me" he replied, "I made things harder than they needed to be, I couldn't accept you for who you really were and that caused so many problems that I regret every day. I told you on your nineteenth birthday that I was proud of you and of everything you do. And nearly three years later it's even more accurate, I couldn't be more proud of you if I tried and I'm sorry it took so long for me to say it out loud"

"It's ok" Chris breathed, wiping the remaining tears away, "I love you guys so much"

"We love you too" George replied before letting go of his son properly.

Chris gave them a shaky smile before slinging his rucksack over his shoulder, "I guess I should get going now" he began, "But I'll see you in a couple of weeks, hopefully"

Patricia and George nodded, still convinced that Chris wouldn't be returning any time soon, "Call us as soon as you can, ok?" Patricia insisted, "And every day after that as well"

Chris chuckled, "Yeah, I will" he agreed before giving them one last wave as he headed off. His parents watched after him, keeping their emotions in check as his figure got smaller the further he walked. Neither George nor Patricia knew what was going to happen to their son, but knew that they would always be just a phone call away if he ever needed them.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'aphass' for the prompt; this was so much fun to write and I hope this was somewhat close to what you had in mind. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


	30. Chapter 30

**New beginnings**

_Prompted by 'aphass' and set after Chris' departure, this is a one-shot of how different characters responded to Chris moving to New York._

* * *

Chris had tried to hold himself together when he met Lucy at the airport. She was so excited about the pregnancy, and it was so contagious that Chris couldn't help but smile. However, once the reality had set in that he had broken up with the person that he'd thought that he would spend the rest of his life with and was going to New York, Chris couldn't keep his feelings hidden any longer. Although Lucy tried to comfort him on the journey, Chris knew that he had to deal with his emotions on his own.

Memories of growing up in Erinsborough flashed through his mind during the journey, almost like a near-death experience (which he had been through several times over the years). Erinsborough wasn't just the place where he was raised, it was the place where he discovered who he really was, where he had experienced love and loss in equal measure, formed lifelong friendships and became the person that he needed to be for his child. That profound thought made Chris freeze in his place, petrified of the future and what was in store for him away from the security of his old life.

xxx

Once Chris had officially arrived at his new home and had looked around, Lucy glanced at him uneasily, "What do you think?"

"It's nice" Chris responded, voice barely above a whisper

Lucy smiled slightly, "How are you feeling?" she asked gently

Chris couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes, "On top of the world" he murmured sarcastically

Lucy nodded in understanding of how Chris was feeling, "Silly question, sorry" she apologised, "Why don't you unpack your stuff and I'll order us some food or something?"

Chris wanted to refuse. He felt exhausted, empty, scared, heartbroken and a million other emotions all at once. The last thing he wanted to do was unpack his possessions and eat; instead, he wanted to curl up into a ball and sleep until his mind made sense of the past twenty-four hours.

Before he could even open his mouth, Lucy pointed a finger at him, "Don't even try to tell me that you're not hungry" she warned him, "You're always either hungry or eating, sometimes both at once"

Chris sniggered and Lucy gazed at him pleadingly, "I'll order a load of comfort food and chocolate ice-cream, we can curl up on the sofa and talk things through" she paused as she noticed Chris' reluctant expression, "Or we could not talk about anything at all" she suggested

Chris nodded, "Sounds good" he replied

Lucy grinned, "Great, I'll get the food sorted out so go and unpack" she instructed firmly

Chris smiled in return before heading into his new bedroom. He was so thankful that Lucy had made him feel at home in such an alien place: he didn't feel quite so lost or alone anymore. Lucy watched after him thoughtfully, trying to think of other ways to cheer him up: whatever she could do for the father of her child, she would do without hesitation.

* * *

Nate practically threw his clothes off of the shelves in an attempt to find a comfortable outfit for lounging around in. He had planned to spend yet another day reclined on the sofa, watching his way through a box-set that he had received from Karl and Susan at Christmas in an attempt to distract himself from the heartbreak of the end of his relationship with Chris. Nate stopped suddenly as he unfolded a black t-shirt with Elvis the pig printed on the front: this was another Christmas present, except it was from Chris. Nate chuckled as he remembered Naomi causing havoc for them a few months earlier by fooling them into buying each other expensive gifts, when monetary value didn't really matter to either of them. Nate also remembered exchanging the presents back in January when Chris invited him to his parents' home for (a late) Christmas.

xxx

Chris and Nate had decided to exchange their presents in the garden so that they could be away from the havoc inside. However, when the finally found the opportunity to swap their gift bags, they did so quite reluctantly.

"It seems a bit pointless to do this now considering that we know what the other person bought" Chris pointed out

Nate nodded grimly, "Thanks to Naomi"

Chris pulled a face, "I would have suggested punishing her, but considering that her mum's just suffered a heart attack, it's probably not appropriate"

"Yeah, you're right" Nate murmured

Chris nodded to the bag that he had given Nate, "Anyway, you first"

Nate reached inside the gift bag and pulled out the Elvis t-shirt and jar of scorched almonds, "Wow, I was not expecting this!" he exclaimed sarcastically, then smiled softly at Chris and added seriously, "Thank you"

"You're welcome" Chris chuckled before looking coy, "But to tell you the truth, I kind of planned for the almonds to be for us to share"

Nate raised his eyebrows, "You mean for **you** to eat the majority of and for** me** to be left with the crumbs?"

Chris looked annoyed, "Darn, you saw right through my cunning plan!" he joked

Nate laughed before pointing to the bag that Chris was holding, "Come on, it's your turn"

Chris removed the tissue paper surrounding his sandwich press and removed it from the bag, "Whoa, a sandwich press!" he exclaimed sarcastically, copying Nate's reaction, "How did you know?"

Nate shrugged, "It doesn't take a genius to see that you love cheese toasties" he retorted

Chris grinned and took a step closer to him, "And that's not the only thing I love" he murmured before kissing him tenderly.

They were interrupted by George clearing his throat loudly. Chris and Nate pulled apart awkwardly, unsure about how Chris' dad would respond to them. However, George was more concerned by the presents that they were holding.

"What's with the pig t-shirt?" he asked, pointing at the black t-shirt that Nate was holding

Nate pulled a face, unsure of how to explain it, "It's kind of an inside joke" he replied slowly

George nodded, still confused, "Ah, right. I won't question that any further" he replied, then noticed Chris holding the sandwich press and laughed, "Is that for Chris? That is perfect!"

Chris grinned and nodded at Nate, "A lot like the person that it's from, then" he remarked softly

George gazed at his son fondly, pleased to see him so happy and in love; especially after the last few months, "Anyway, I'm just letting you guys know that lunch is being served" he began, "So you should try and grab some seats before everyone else does"

Chris and Nate nodded before George turned around and headed inside. Nate looked confused, "Hang on, how many people** are** there?" he asked, having not seen many people around

"Everyone, both sides of my family" he replied, "You're lucky I don't have any siblings otherwise there would be no space left for us"

Nate nodded nervously, "So have you invited many people round for Christmas before?" he enquired, referring to any of Chris' exes

"Nope, you're the first" Chris replied, then noticed Nate's expression, "Don't look so worried, it's gonna be fine" he assured him before joking, "They're only a little bit terrifying"

Nate pulled a face, "Thanks for the pep-talk" he murmured

"Any time" Chris grinned before moving towards the door, "Now come with me… if you dare!" he teased

Nate gulped heavily before taking his hand and letting Chris lead him inside.

xxx

Nate remembered that afternoon being one of the most exhausting afternoons that he'd experienced in a long time. Meeting all of Chris' family members, learning about the Greek culture and answering personal questions about himself whilst trying to keep calm was quite difficult. Fortunately Chris was there the entire time, holding his hand reassuringly and taking over when the questions became too much. Despite that, it was one of the best days that they had spent together, and he wouldn't forget that in a hurry; nor would he ever forget Chris and everything that he had done for him. Nate fought back the tears that welled in his eyes as he threw the t-shirt back into the drawer and pulled out another one. He needed time and space to move on properly, but hoped that Chris wasn't struggling with it as much as he was.

* * *

Number 26 seemed emptier somehow, even though only Chris was missing from the house. Dinner together for the first few nights after Chris had left was quieter than usual, and the empty chair didn't help matters. Sheila instinctively made four servings of dinner for the first few days – having been in that routine for a long time – which made Chris' departure even more difficult to cope with.

A couple of nights after Chris had left, Kyle looked around Chris' bedroom sadly. Although Chris had only taken the most important items to New York with him and left quite a lot behind, the room felt bare already without him around. Kyle could still remember the night that Chris had finished unpacking all of his belongings in the room - nearly two and a half years earlier - as if it had happened yesterday.

xxx

Noticing that Kyle was still recovering from his break-up with Jade, Chris and Aidan had insisted on going to a club together to take his mind off of his love-life. Although Kyle had put up a fight, preferring to stay in and wallow in self-pity, he eventually relented after realising that they weren't going to give up.

"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you" Kyle muttered after they stepped off the bus and began the short walk to the club

Chris was confused, "Us? Why?"

"For convincing me to go clubbing with you" Kyle grumbled

Chris smirked, "Were we that persuasive?"

Kyle shrugged, "Well you didn't give me much of a choice"

"Come on, we're hardly dragging you kicking and screaming, are we?" Aidan pointed out

Kyle shook his head, "No, but I'd rather be at home playing video games"

"No way!" Aidan exclaimed, "This is the first time Chris has wanted to go clubbing in ages, you can't let this opportunity slip away"

"Hey! This isn't about me going clubbing, this is about Kyle and I getting to know each other better" Chris argued, "We're officially housemates now so this is a good opportunity to hang out"

"But do we really have to 'hang out' somewhere that neither of us actually wants to be?" Kyle questioned

"It's better than staying in and being miserable" Chris shrugged, "Though playing video games does sound good"

Kyle stopped walking, "Great, we've got that in common" he cried, "Let's go home"

"Don't be so boring!" Aidan complained, practically grabbing Kyle's arm and pulling him along, "We're almost there anyway"

Although Chris knew that Aidan enjoyed partying, he was puzzled by the change in his boyfriend's demeanour and stopped him in his tracks, "What's going on with you?" he questioned, "You're not usually so full-on about clubbing"

"I just haven't gone out in a while" Aidan replied hesitantly, not wanting to admit the truth about needing to let off some steam from the stress of what was going on at work, "I've missed the atmosphere, that's all"

"Because I'm such a bore?" Chris snapped

"I didn't say that" Aidan sighed

"Then what is it?" Chris questioned

"Oh, now you're fighting" Kyle huffed, annoyed that he was witnessing a couple arguing after everything that had happened with Jade, "Great, just great"

"Sorry man" Chris apologised before glancing between the two men, "Look, why don't we go in for a bit and see what happens? It might be fun. And if it's not, then we'll go back home"

Kyle paused, not wanting to ruin the evening for the other men who had gone out of their way to try to cheer him up. Eventually, he nodded reluctantly and let them guide him to the club, not particularly looking forward to the night ahead...

Chris and Aidan didn't like to admit it, but the sight of Kyle moping around was quite funny, even though they did feel sorry for him. However, in an effort to cheer him up, they convinced him to partake in the human auction that the club was having. Unfortunately for Kyle, his downcast manner meant that he wasn't quite as popular as he could have been, and eventually he was 'sold' to a middle aged man for $100. Chris and Aidan couldn't stop laughing at the idea of Kyle having to go on a date with a middle-aged man.

"It's not funny!" Kyle whined as he picked up his beer

"No, it's hilarious" Chris chuckled

Kyle took a gulp of his drink, "I can't believe I'm only worth $100" he growled

"Wait, that's the bit you're upset about?" Aidan questioned, "Not the date with that guy?"

Kyle shrugged, "Yeah, well I'm not really ready to have a girlfriend yet" he admitted, "And there's no chance of anything happening between me and that dude"

Chris glanced over at the man, who was watching Kyle intently, "Yeah, I don't think **he** realises that" he sniggered

Kyle sighed, "I guess I'll just have to tell him 'thanks, but no thanks'" he replied

Aidan nodded, "At least you're being polite" he murmured, "And it's good that you're not homophobic after all" he added, remembering Kyle refusing to let Chris take the room at first because Chris was in a relationship, and Chris assuming it was because of his sexuality.

Kyle nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry for giving you guys the wrong impression" he apologised, "Sexuality doesn't matter to me, it's happy couples that I'm not comfortable with right now"

Chris nodded in understanding before nodding at the middle-aged man who had moved closer to them, "And on that note, we should leave you to your date" he teased

Kyle pulled a face at them as Chris led Aidan away. Fortunately for them, Kyle had loosened up and cheered up, which was a triumph in their eyes.

xxx

Kyle chuckled at the memory of that middle-aged man and the most awkward 'date' he had ever been on. However, he was inwardly glad that Chris and Aidan had been there to drag him to the club and pull him out of his stupor in an attempt to help him move on. In fact, Chris had been there for the majority of his relationship troubles, which he would never forget. Kyle blinked away the tears in his eyes as he turned off the lights in Chris' bedroom.

* * *

Georgia was sorting through Hospital records when she came across Chris' name. She knew that she wasn't supposed to be snooping but she opened his file anyway. Her eyes widened in realisation of how many times Chris had been admitted over the years, particularly after being beaten up. However, the part that surprised her the most was the counselling appointments that he had received at the beginning of 2013. Georgia remembered finding out that Chris was showing symptoms of PTSD a few months after his car accident, and offering to organise counselling sessions for him. She also remembered pushing him away after everything that had happened with Scotty, and how much she had hurt him because she had felt betrayed even though none of it was Chris' fault.

xxx

Chris emerged from his counselling session and immediately bumped into Georgia, causing her to drop the pile of papers that she was carrying onto the floor.

"Sorry!" they both exclaimed simultaneously, then smiled coyly at each other

They both knelt down to pick up the papers and Chris grimaced, "Have you been given the task of filing these by any chance?" he asked

Georgia nodded, "Yep"

"Well I'm sorry if they're out of order because of me" he apologised

Georgia shook her head, "I didn't actually put them in order, I was just going to do that as I went along" she admitted, "And luckily I did, otherwise I would have had to start all over again"

Chris chuckled, "And you probably would have had a break-down" he added as he handed over the papers and stood up

Georgia nodded grimly, "Definitely" she agreed before standing up, "So how was your appointment?"

"It was good" Chris replied casually, "The counsellor says I'm making progress, and I do feel a lot better than I did a few months ago"

Georgia smiled, "Yeah, you've come a long way" she replied, "It takes a long time to recover from PTSD, if there even is a recovery at all"

Chris nodded, "I know, and I'm just glad I can get into a car without having flashbacks now" he began, "I've found ways of dealing with the accident as well as everything else that's happened lately"

"Like what?" Georgia questioned, confused because she had assumed that it was just the accident that had caused the PTSD

"Like Summer, Tash and Andrew leaving, and Aidan and I breaking up" he replied, "All of that must have got to me more than I first thought and just triggered it"

Georgia nodded, "That's understandable, you've been through a lot" she murmured

"So have you" Chris responded softly before clearing his throat awkwardly, "Actually, I was talking to my counsellor just now about what happened with Scotty. I kept you anonymous but I told her that it had affected our friendship"

"And what did she say?" Georgia asked hesitantly

"She told me to give you time and space to process everything, and to be there for when or if you decide that you can forgive me" Chris replied slowly, "But to also be prepared for you to** not** be able to forgive me"

Georgia shook her head shamefully, "You don't have to worry about that" she assured him, "You did nothing wrong, Scotty was the one who lied to me – to himself – for years, and I'm the one who's not able to let it go"

"But you loved him" Chris pointed out, "You were together for ages, it's gonna take a while for you to get your head around it. But you know I will always be here for you no matter what, right?"

Georgia nodded tearfully, "I know, thank you" she whispered before placing the pile of papers down on a nearby surface and hugging Chris tightly. Although she was still feeling confused and insecure about everything that had happened, she was glad to have someone there who cared for her and allowed her to figure things out in her own time.

xxx

Georgia hastily closed Chris' file, convincing herself that it was because she didn't want to get caught. However, the reality was that she knew that if she carried on reading and reminiscing that she would be too upset to work. Instead, she hurried outside to send Kyle a quick text, inviting him to The Waterhole after her shift. Georgia hoped that Kyle would be able to change her mood and make her forget about her freckled friend, obviously unaware of how her husband was actually feeling.

* * *

Georgia shouldn't have been surprised that Kyle was still upset by Chris leaving. After all, he had known Chris longer than she had, and they had lived together for a while before she moved in. Even Sheila had known Chris longer than Georgia had, and had built up a solid relationship with him over the years, so Georgia felt slightly uncomfortable when the barmaid joined them in their conversation about Chris. Sheila ignored the fact that she should have been working so that she could reminisce with Kyle and Georgia about Chris, from jokes about his insatiable appetite to evaluating his ex-boyfriends. Their trip down memory lane eventually led them to late 2013 after Chris' behaviour had spiralled out of control following Hudson's arrest, causing problems for many people.

xxx

"Do you think it worked?" Sheila asked as she joined Kyle and Georgia at the kitchen table

"It better had" Kyle grumbled, "Taking Chris to see Hudson was the last resort, so if that hasn't worked, nothing will"

Georgia shrugged, "Well Kate seemed quite positive about it, but who knows?"

"Why does he want us to meet him here?" Sheila asked

"So that I can apologise" Chris announced as he entered with a couple of bouquets of flowers and a six-pack of beer.

"With flowers and beer?" Kyle questioned

"Actions speak louder than words, don't they?" Chris pointed out as he handed the flowers to Sheila and Georgia before passing the beer to Kyle, "Seriously guys, I am so sorry for how I've been acting lately. I've been a complete wreck and pushed you away instead of being grateful that you were there for me at all"

"Yeah, well if it was any of us going through what you went through, you would have done the same" Georgia replied

Chris nodded, "Because we're a family" he responded, then paused, "Well we're a weird, unrelated family, but a family no less. We look out for each other and don't take any crap from each other"

The others nodded in agreement and Kyle passed the drinks around, "Hear, hear" he exclaimed as he lifted his beer into the air. The others laughed and tapped their bottles together in a celebration of putting the past behind them and moving forwards.

xxx

Kyle, Georgia and Sheila finished reminiscing when they were interrupted by one of the waitresses. Sheila rolled her eyes and let out an annoyed breath as she returned to work. Kyle and Georgia watched after her in amusement, then Georgia turned to Kyle worriedly.

"Are you ok?" she asked

Kyle nodded, "Yeah, I think so"

"Chris did leave quite suddenly, it's still a shock to the system" Georgia admitted

Kyle nodded but realised that he needed to voice his feelings out loud, "This is gonna sound really soppy but I never actually told him how much he means to me" he confessed

Georgia was taken aback, "Should I be jealous?" she joked

Kyle sniggered, "A little bit" he retorted before looking more serious, "He was my best mate, I was closer to him than I was to Honga or most of my own family. Him not being here every day, it feels like a part of me is actually missing"

Georgia nodded in understanding and rubbed his back comfortingly, "Well I wasn't as close to him as you were, but I'm finding it difficult to not talk to him every day so I can only imagine how you're feeling"

Kyle managed a smile, "Well at least we have each other, right?"

"Absolutely" Georgia replied before kissing him and letting her husband wrap an arm around her shoulders.

* * *

Chris admired the cot that he had finished constructing. It had been just over six weeks since he had arrived in New York, and he felt like he had always lived there. He still felt nostalgic whenever somebody mentioned Australia, but he didn't get upset anymore. Chris managed to stay in contact with his family and friends from Erinsborough (even including Nate), but his life was in New York now. He had a steady job, a great support network, a wonderful boyfriend and a baby on the way: there was nothing else that he wanted or needed anymore. Although Erinsborough had been the place for the first twenty-odd years of his growth and development, Chris new that New York would be equally as (if not, more) important for him.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'aphass' for the prompt: this was quite challenging to write, especially inventing moments that weren't seen on screen without messing up continuity – so I hope you enjoyed it! As usual, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


	31. Chapter 31

**The First Date**

_Set after the events of episode 7210, this is my idea of what happened during Aaron and Nate's first date._

* * *

Aaron and Nate stood in front of their respective mirrors, checking over their appearances. In the bathroom of number 24, Aaron started to worry that with his smart shirt he was going slightly over the top for some drinks and a meal at The Waterhole. Although he and Nate had agreed to go on a date, Aaron wasn't sure how formal it was supposed to be.

Outside of the bathroom, Tyler knocked on the door hesitantly, "Hey, Az?" he began uncertainly, "Are you ok in there?"

Tyler was surprised when the door swung open to reveal Aaron dressed in a smart shirt and jeans, with his hair slicked back.

Aaron grimaced, "Sorry bro, did you need to get in?"

Tyler shook his head, "No, I was just a bit worried" he replied, "I mean, you were in there for about an hour, I thought you were ill or something"

Aaron shrugged, "Nah, I'm fine"

Tyler nodded, "I can see that" he replied with a small smile, "Are you going out somewhere?"

Aaron narrowed his eyes at him, "No, I'm dressing up for a night in front of the telly" he retorted sardonically

Tyler folded his arms, "No need to be sarcastic" he scolded playfully, "Where are you off to?"

"The Waterhole" was Aaron's offhanded response as he traipsed past Tyler into his bedroom.

"Let me guess, a date?" Tyler questioned

Aaron shrugged which made Tyler even more curious as he followed his brother into the room, "Who is he?"

"He's none of your business" Aaron replied as he searched for his wallet and keys

"Come on!" Tyler groaned, "After the week I've had, I need some cheering up"

"Oh, and stories of my love-life are gonna do that, are they?" Aaron remarked

He glanced over his shoulder to notice Tyler's crestfallen expression and sighed, "Actually, you're right" he began, "I know apologies aren't enough after everything that's happened, but I am so sorry for not noticing what was going on between you and dad sooner, and I promise I will do anything I can to support you" he paused and pulled a face, "Apart from spilling the beans about my date"

Tyler pouted, "Darn it" he joked, but then smiled sincerely, "But thanks bro"

Aaron shrugged, "Well Nate made me realise that I can't live in regret of the past, I need to be here for you now"

Tyler shrugged, "I guess he has a lot of experience with that kind of thing" he murmured, then looked confused, "Hang on, when were you talking to Nate?"

"This afternoon" Aaron replied innocently, "I offered to help him out at the nursery and we got chatting"

Tyler suddenly grinned in realisation, "Nate's the guy you're going on a date with, isn't he?"

Aaron smiled slightly, "Maybe he is, maybe he isn't" he teased

Tyler chuckled, "You know, I've got an 'I told you so' dance routine prepared for this occasion" he joked, "I've been waiting to do it for nearly three months, so thanks for taking your time to get your acts together" he added sarcastically

Aaron shook his head in exasperation, "It's just a meal at The Waterhole, nothing fancy" he sighed

"Well your outfit suggests otherwise" Tyler retorted

Aaron prodded Tyler playfully but looked regretful, "You know, I can stay in if you want some company tonight-"

Tyler scoffed, "And make you miss your date with 'the man of your dreams'?" he teased, quoting Aaron's words about Nate from a few weeks earlier, "As if"

Aaron shrugged, "I could reschedule"

Tyler shook his head, "You'll do no such thing" he replied determinedly as he practically pushed his brother out of his room and out of the front door, "Have a good night!" he cried as he shut the door on the other man.

xxx

Nate tried to distract himself as he waited for Aaron to arrive by talking to Sheila, but he was distracted by the butterflies in his stomach. However, he didn't notice Aaron at first as he entered The Waterhole and spotted Nate at the other end of the room. Aaron was suddenly uncomfortable about the choice of venue for their date, but shrugged it off as he approached.

"Hey" Aaron greeted as casually as he could despite his rapid heart rate

Nate smiled at him, "Hi" he greeted in return

Sheila looked between them in confusion, "What are you two dressed up for?" she questioned

Aaron and Nate shared an awkward look and Sheila grinned in realisation, "Oh, is this a date? Well it's about time!" she joked, "Now sit down, and I'll get you some drinks"

Both Nate and Aaron ordered a pint of beer before making their way over to a table, "You don't mind that we're having our date where you work, do you?" Aaron clarified

Nate shook his head as he sat down, "Not at all" he replied, "And we get a discount, which is definitely a plus"

Aaron chuckled, "Wow, a cheap date" he joked, "Looks like Karl's cheapskate ways are rubbing off on you"

Nate nodded, "Well I have been living with him for over a year now, so it was pretty inevitable"

Aaron smiled at him thoughtfully, "So you guys are close?"

"Me and Karl?" Nate clarified

Aaron nodded, "And Susan"

Nate considered this, "Well I was closer to Susan after I arrived, especially when she started counselling me" he explained, "It took Karl longer to warm to me, but we got there eventually. In fact, I'm probably closer to them than I am to my parents"

Aaron was surprised, "You know, you never really talk about your parents"

"Neither do you" Nate retorted

"Well you've met my dad" Aaron replied uncomfortably

Nate nodded, "Yeah, but not your mum" he pointed out before shrugging uncomfortably, "I guess my folks are a bit of a touchy subject"

"Yeah, I get that" Aaron murmured, then cleared his throat, "I guess that's a conversation for another time"

Nate smiled awkwardly, not really looking forward to opening up about his family. However, Aaron gazed at Nate, intrigued to find out more about his background.

xxx

Although Nate had been reluctant to talk about his family and was distracted by the food that they had been served, Aaron had managed to find out a few things about him during the meal.

"So, let's see if I've got this right" Aaron began as he set his cutlery down, "Your uncle Alex married Susan about ten years ago, but he died of cancer just after they got married?"

Nate nodded and Aaron continued, "Then Susan gained custody of your cousins Zeke, Rachel and Katya, and became their step-mum?"

Nate nodded again and Aaron thought to himself for a few moments, "So Susan is your step-aunt then?" he clarified

"Yep" Nate replied slowly

"Wow" Aaron breathed, then glanced at him, "No offense, but that's a really weird connection"

"I guess" Nate shrugged, "But I think of Susan and Karl as my aunt and uncle, rather than step-aunt and step-uncle"

"Yeah, that makes sense" Aaron agreed, "But you'd never met them before you arrived in Erinsborough?"

Nate shook his head, "Well Zeke kept me up-to-date on things like their address and their many divorces and remarriages" he explained, "So when I had to come to Erinsborough for the funeral of a guy I used to serve with, I remembered that Karl and Susan lived nearby and we met up after I arrived"

"And they offered you a place to live?" Aaron queried

Nate chuckled, "Originally it was only supposed to be for one night, and now thirteen months later I'm still here"

Aaron laughed, "Ah, so you're like Alan from 'Two and a Half Men'?" he joked, "Only supposed to stay with his brother Charlie for a couple of nights, but stayed there for over a decade, even after Charlie died"

Nate looked offended, "Well** Karl** is more like Alan than** I** am" he retorted, "You know, being cheap"

Aaron was impressed that Nate understood the reference, "Wow, I didn't think you'd ever seen the show before"

Nate raised an eyebrow, "Why not? You think soldiers don't have a sense of humour?"

Aaron shook his head innocently, "No, because I thought that Captain Killjoy doesn't have a sense of humour"

Nate pulled a face, "I have my moments"

Aaron smirked, "I'll believe it when I see it" he replied teasingly as he returned to his food. Nate studied him for a few more moments, smiling softly at the turn of events.

xxx

Because of how well they were getting along now, Nate felt even guiltier about the way in which he had treated Aaron the other week after he had confessed his true feelings to him. He wasn't sure how to bring up the subject, or whether it would spoil the atmosphere to remind Aaron of his reaction so he stayed silent about it.

Fortunately for him, Aaron offered him a segue, "So, how's the orchid?"

Nate almost choked on his mouthful of drink, thinking that Aaron was using a euphemism, and was confused. However, he quickly realised what Aaron was talking about and nodded, "Yeah, it's still there, still alive"

Aaron scoffed, "I'd hope so, they're supposed to live for years" he pointed out

Remembering Aaron giving him the flower and insisting on being his man-slave – which led to the awkward situation between them – Nate took the opportunity to steer the conversation in that direction.

"Look, I'm sorry for being so rude to you the other week when you told me how you really felt about me" he apologised

Aaron shrugged, "It's ok, and **I** should probably apologise for being an awful man-slave"

Nate shook his head, "Well I've never had a man-slave before, so I wouldn't know a good one from a bad one"

"Oh trust me, I was bad" Aaron replied, "Mixing up orders, making undrinkable cocktails and-"

"That doesn't mean you're a bad man-slave" Nate argued, "It just means you're a bad barman"

Aaron pulled a face, "Ha, ha" he retorted sarcastically

Nate shook his head, "Seriously though, if I'd have realised that you were being serious about your feelings, I wouldn't have rejected you, especially the way that I did"

"Don't worry about it. We're past that now, aren't we?" Aaron replied, then looked curious, "But what made you realise I was telling the truth?"

"Tyler told me" Nate admitted, "Seems like he was right about us all along"

"As much as we hate to admit it" Aaron agreed grimly before remembering their conversation from earlier, "He's got an 'I told you so' dance ready for when we tell him, which I am not looking forward to seeing"

"Why not?" Nate questioned, "Is he a bad dancer? Because that usually makes it funnier"

Aaron shook his head, "He's had nearly three months to work on it, who knows how long it's gonna go on for?"

Nate nodded, "True, but hopefully you'll be the one subjected to it instead of me"

"Well thanks for the support" Aaron retorted sardonically

In response, Nate smirked and lifted his glass triumphantly before taking a sip whilst Aaron glared at him jokingly.

xxx

There was an awkward silence between Nate and Aaron as they traipsed back to Ramsay Street. It wasn't normal for them to be silent considering that they'd spent the majority of the past three months teasing each other whenever they had the chance, but the situation was different this time. Now that their true feelings for each other were clearer, the atmosphere between them had changed, though they were both uncertain as to how to act around each other.

"So I, uh, I had a good time tonight" Aaron began nervously as they entered the street, which was unusual for a guy who was normally quite relaxed in most situations

"Me too" Nate agreed, "And thanks again for helping out at the nursery earlier. That's **me** thanking you this time, by the way, not Sonya and Toadie"

"Well it was my pleasure" Aaron replied, "And ditto on that last bit" he added, recalling their conversation at the nursery

"We should do this again sometime" Nate suggested uncertainly

Aaron nodded as he failed to hold back a smile, "Definitely"

Another silence overcame them as they simply stood and smiled at each other, neither of them knowing what to do next. Aaron fought the urge to lean in and kiss Nate because although that was usually how dates ended, he didn't want to cause any trouble if Nate wasn't ready for it. Unbeknownst to him, Nate was hoping and waiting for Aaron to make the first move, so he was slightly confused about why nothing was happening. After what felt like an eternity of standing in silence, Aaron glanced around and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Anyway, just let me know when you're free to go out again" Aaron suggested as casually as he could

Nate nodded slowly, "Yeah, will do"

"Cool" Aaron murmured, "See you"

"Yeah, see you" Nate replied as he watched Aaron walk towards his own home. Regretfully, Nate slowly turned around and crossed the road to number 28, inwardly kicking himself for ending the night so awkwardly. However, his mood was brightened by their agreement to a second date, so Nate began making plans for what he wanted to happen next time.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! This was another random chapter, but it was a shame that we didn't see their first date considering that the lead-up to it was pretty cute. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


	32. Chapter 32

**Reactions**

_Prompted by 'T' and 'aphass' and set around episode 6977, this is a one-shot covering various characters' reactions to Josh coward-punching Chris._

* * *

The remaining guests at the party stood around awkwardly, unsure of what was going on or what they were supposed to do. The venue seemed extremely empty without Kyle, Georgia, Chris, Nate, Lauren, Matt, Josh and Sheila considering the number of guests that were still present. Between them, they decided to clean the room to save Sheila the trouble of doing it later. Eventually Matt arrived with a stern expression, which made everyone worried.

"What's going on?" Brad asked, still feeling guilty about their fight earlier

"It's Chris" Matt began as he glanced around the room at the anxious faces, "He's been taken to the Hospital with a fractured skull"

"What happened?" Naomi gasped in shock, worried for her friend

"According to Karl, the injuries are consistent with a coward-punch attack" Matt replied

"Sorry, what's a 'coward-punch attack'?" Sonya asked, being unfamiliar with the term

"It's an unprovoked attack, a single punch that the victim isn't prepared for" Matt answered grimly, "Chris didn't see it coming so he couldn't defend himself or cushion his fall, which caused more serious injuries"

"Who would attack him?" Amber cried, devastated by the thought of her friend being the victim of an attack

"That's what we're trying to figure out" Matt responded, "Because it was unprovoked, it could have been anyone, even someone who doesn't actually know Chris"

The guests were all shocked by the turn of events. Many of them had a close relationship considering that a lot of them lived in the same street, which meant that they were able to comfort each other. Amber was close to tears and Daniel wrapped a comforting arm around her. Although she and Chris had barely spoken recently with their lives growing apart, Amber's friendship with Chris still meant a lot to her. After all, he was the first person to offer her friendship when she first arrived and didn't know anyone outside of her family, and he had proven to be a great support whilst she was being cyberbullied and with her relationship dramas in the past. The idea of losing him was one that Amber didn't want to think about even though it was a possibility, and that brought tears to her eyes. Imogen rubbed her back gently, wondering what had happened to Josh. Although she was worried about Chris, she couldn't stop her mind turning to her twin: the last time that she had seen him was when Chris had escorted him out of the pub, and she wondered whether Josh was involved somehow.

Despite their history, Sonya stayed close to Naomi. With Sheila, Kyle and Georgia gone and Chris in Hospital, the redhead had nobody to console her so Sonya took it upon herself to be there instead.

"Hey" she greeted gently, "How are you holding up?"

Naomi nodded, "I'm fine" she replied unconvincingly

Sonya shook her head, "It's ok to be worried" she assured her, "Chris is one of your closest friends"

Naomi blinked back tears, "Yeah, and he doesn't deserve any of this" she growled, "He's probably the only person – not related to me – that doesn't hate me"

Sonya chuckled, "Nobody hates you" she assured her

Naomi glanced at her disbelievingly and Sonya sighed, "Well you can't get along with everyone" she replied

Naomi bit her lip, "But Chris **does** get along with everyone" she pointed out, "How can anyone do something like that to him?

"Like Matt said, it might have been some random person who doesn't even know Chris" Sonya reminded her, "The best thing we can do is hope for the best and offer any support that we can"

Naomi nodded and smiled gratefully at Sonya, which was reciprocated. They both knew Chris really well and were shaken by the news of the attack, but there was nothing that they could do with so many questions unanswered so they tried to stay level-headed in the midst of all the chaos.

xxx

"Hey, Walsh" a tall, burly man snapped as he tossed a newspaper towards the table that Hudson was sitting by, "Isn't that your ex?"

Hudson glanced down at the paper, which had the headline 'Apprentice Mechanic Victim of Coward-Punch Attack from Former Swimming Champion' printed across the top, and a large photograph of Chris was printed in the centre with a smaller photograph of Josh inserted in the corner. Without even reading the story itself, Hudson immediately figured out what had happened and his jaw dropped in shock.

"Chris?" he questioned quietly, "Attacked by Josh?"

As Hudson read the story, he was filled with horror. He had been relatively close to Josh in the past, and couldn't believe that he was capable of hurting someone like that. Although the report was ambiguous about the outcome of the situation, a small part of Hudson wanted to laugh at the idea of Josh ending up in prison with him: perhaps they could set up their own swimming team or something. Though having two swimmers in prison within a year of each other would not present swimmers or swimming itself in a very positive light, so Hudson disregarded that thought as he stared at the paper. His minded drifted to Chris, hoping that he would be alright: although they had broken up several months earlier, he still cared about him and knew that he didn't deserve what had happened. Hudson wished more than ever that he could see Chris again, since his last encounter with him was one that he wouldn't hesitate to change if he could.

xxx

As soon as George and Patricia found out that their son was in a coma in hospital, they booked the first flight they could back to Australia. They didn't even return to their home, instead they drove straight to the hospital so that they could be with him. Although Chris was awake, he was having trouble communicating with them and the staff seemed uncertain about Chris' condition in the long term. Patricia couldn't stop crying, even though she knew that she had to be strong for her son, but after nearly losing him several times she was petrified of what the future was going to bring. George wrapped an arm around her as she wept, but she had to remove herself from the room when she realised that Chris might get upset about the way she was acting.

"Where did mum go?" Chris asked innocently

George glanced behind him nervously, "Probably to get some drinks" he lied, not knowing how Chris would respond to the truth.

Chris blinked at the door, waiting for her to return. Patricia stood on the other side of the door, wiping her eyes. She barely knew this Josh Willis boy, even though he and Chris lived in the same street, but she was determined that he was going to pay for what he had done to her son. Patricia took a deep breath as she realised that it wasn't the right time to be thinking about the perpetrator or getting revenge; she needed to focus on Chris and his recovery.

xxx

Nate was taken aback as he noticed a male nurse standing outside Chris' room. He had seen him passing through the Hospital before but this was the first time Nate had properly noticed him. The nurse was gazing through the window with an unreadable expression on his face. Nate clenched his fists angrily, wondering what was going on. The nurse turned around and his eyes locked with Nate's momentarily as the taller man approached.

"What's going on?" Nate asked shakily

The nurse blinked at him, "Sorry?"

Nate narrowed his eyes at him, "Is Chris ok?"

"Are you a relative?" Aidan asked

Nate shook his head, "No, but I'm his boyfriend"

The nurse's eyes widened slightly, "Well in that case, there's been a slight improvement" he assured him, "I mean, there's still a long way to go, but he'll be fine"

Nate nodded with a shaky smile, "Good" he replied

The nurse hesitated before glancing through the window again, "Don't give up on him, ok? He's definitely worth fighting for" he murmured

Nate nodded slowly, confused by the nurse's words, "I know" he agreed quietly

The nurse gave Nate a small smile, "I'll leave you to it" he muttered before hurrying past him. Nate watched him over his shoulder and spotted him talking to Georgia. The younger woman squeezed his arm before approaching Nate.

"Hey" she greeted softly, "Are you ok?"

Nate shrugged, "I'm just worried about whether or not Chris is ok"

Georgia nodded in understanding and Nate glanced back at the nurse at the desk, "Who's he?"

Georgia hesitated, "Aidan" she replied flatly

"How does he know Chris?" he questioned, suspicious about the way he had been watching his boyfriend and talking about him

"He was Chris' first boyfriend" Georgia told him slowly

Nate's face hardened as realisation sunk in. He and Chris hadn't talked much about their pasts, and Nate had been worried that they would never get a chance to. Although he had promised Chris that he would stand by him, Nate felt his insecurities about their relationship creeping back up again, but he considered Aidan's words and was determined to stand by Chris through his recovery.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'T' and 'aphass' for the prompt! Apologies for taking so long to write this and for some of the sloppiness as well as the fact that there were some perspectives that I missed out. It was actually quite difficult to write, especially considering that there's no way of re-watching the episodes to make sure that I somewhat maintain continuity. Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


	33. Chapter 33

**Memories**

_Prompted by 'aphass' and set around episode 7090, this is a one-shot covering Chris making his decision about whether or not he was going to go to New York with Lucy._

* * *

Chris practically floated through town like some sort of ghost. Everything that had happened in the last few hours had just hit him like a freight train: seeing his baby for the first time in the scan, his break-up with Nate and now Lucy inviting him to join her in New York. Chris barely had time to get his head around it all, but wandered around Erinsborough thinking carefully about the possibility of leaving his home.

Traipsing past Harold's, an image flashed in Chris' head, which stopped him in his tracks. He suddenly remembered chasing Harry, Summer and Andrew out of the store after finding out that the guidebooks Andrew had sold to him and his friends about how to pick up girls were a fraud. Chris chuckled to himself at the irony of buying an instruction manual to help him get a girlfriend, though he hadn't been fully aware of his sexuality back then. He remembered being mortified about having been taken for such an idiot at the time, but in some ways was grateful that it had happened otherwise his life could have turned out very differently. Chris could almost still see him and his peers chasing Andrew, Harry and Summer back to the school, like a vision in front of him.

However, the vision suddenly changed to one of him and Naomi chasing Bossy across the complex and being relieved when she was caught by a mysterious stranger. The mysterious stranger left an impression on Chris immediately and after a few near-misses eventually became his boyfriend and one of the most important people in his life. Chris let out a deep breath and couldn't help but smile as he thought about how much had changed between that first memory and the last: he'd miraculously got rid of his glasses and had a decent haircut for one thing, but most importantly he'd made something of his life by getting a steady job and just becoming more comfortable and confident in himself. However, that thought didn't help with his decision-making process, and only succeeded in making him feel more conflicted than before.

xxx

Passing by the Waterhole, Chris was taken back to two tragic events that had happened recently. One of them was waking up after being attacked by Victor Cleary and hobbling into the complex to witness Kate dying. That image of his friend being pronounced dead on what should have been one of the best days of her life had been imbedded in his mind for weeks afterwards, despite his own problems such as his injuries and relationship dilemmas. Chris was the type of person who tried not to have too many regrets, but even nearly a year later he still regretted the fact that he was so caught up in his own problems that he wasn't supporting his friends – especially Mark – who were grieving Kate and were struggling with the loss themselves.

The other memory that returned was the night he was coward-punched by Josh. However, as a result of the injury Chris lost his memory of that night and even six months later he could still remember very little. He remembered sending Josh and Nate away during the party, but his next memory was waking up in Hospital, and the fact that he still couldn't remember what had happened in between terrified him. The worst part of what had happened was the fact that he was unable to do things that he knew he used to be able to do: combined with his mood swings, Chris' behaviour had changed out of anger and frustration. Deep down, he was still bitter about Josh getting away with a community service order considering that Chris was still healing, but he didn't regret being the bigger person and showing compassion towards his neighbour who had – in some ways – been suffering just as badly as him. Thinking about those dark times made Chris tempted to leave Erinsborough, not just to escape from it all but to create a better life for himself and his family.

xxx

Chris debated whether or not to enter The Waterhole because he knew that Sheila would be there, and whilst he was still trying to decide whether or not he was going to New York with Lucy, he didn't want to speak to anyone else. However, standing near the door, his mind wandered back in time to some of his most memorable moments inside the pub. Both of his immediate memories were of two different Valentine's Days, for two different reasons. Valentine's Day 2012 felt like a lifetime ago (especially considering that it was 'Charlie's' – not The Waterhole – at the time), but Chris remembered it as clearly as if it had been yesterday. He remembered seeing Aidan across the room and Tash encouraging Chris to ask him on a date, and he had been nervous because he had never asked another guy out before and wasn't sure how to do it or how to cope if Aidan had rejected him, just like Chris had turned down his offer of a drink a few weeks earlier. Chris remembered Tash's increasing annoyance towards him and her advice to 'just go up and say exactly what you're feeling'. Chris had scorned her for her suggestion, which had seemed ridiculous to him at the time because he felt sick with nerves whenever he thought about his crush, let alone considered asking him on a date. So as a mocking response, Chris had suggested that he would approach the nurse and say 'Hey Aidan, I'm about to throw up right now but I think you're hot and I'd like to go out sometime'. And of course, Aidan had to be walking up behind him at that very moment and happened to overhear those sarcastic words. Fortunately for him, those words were enough to win Aidan over and earn himself a date. At the time, he had been mortified but now he was grateful because in the numerous times that he had asked guys out afterwards, none of those experiences had been quite as embarrassing as that one.

The other memory was of the Valentine's Day just gone when he, Kyle, Toadie and Karl decided to get their partner's names tattooed somewhere on their bodies. Chris cringed as he recalled the moment in The Waterhole when they all realised that they had the wrong tattoos. In retrospect, it was hilarious to think about, but at the time they were all mortified by their mistake and were desperate to find a way to correct it. Despite the humour of the whole situation, Chris felt pensive when he thought about it all. Leaving Erinsborough would mean leaving his friends who he had a lot of great memories of and wanted to make more of with them.

xxx

Chris continued his stroll around Erinsborough, not wanting to circle the complex for too long otherwise he'd drive himself crazy and probably look strange to passers-by. Instead he wandered past Erinsborough High School, where he could still remember his first day as a nervous twelve year-old. Unlike the people in his friendship group – Tash, Andrew, Harry and Summer – Chris had started at the high school at the beginning rather than a few years later like rest of them had done. Despite that, it took him a long time to make friends, and most of them pulled away from him later on anyway so it demonstrated how shallow and weak those friendships were. It was as a result of his interest in computers that he found acquaintances in the computer club and quickly became one of the nerdiest guys in the school: no wonder no girl or guy looked at him twice back then. Chris remembered desperately wanting his mum to walk him in on his first day but knowing that he would be ridiculed about it for the rest of his time in education, so he had traipsed in by himself with his head down and eyes on the ground; and every day after that for the next few years he did the same thing as a shy little kid.

Arguably, the most significant moment in Chris' life happened at Erinsborough High: the moment when he publically came out of the closet. He had admitted it to himself, Andrew and Summer's iPod but had never imagined having to admit it to a classroom full of teenagers including his girlfriend. But he'd had to do something to stop everyone from assuming that Summer was a lesbian, so he literally stood up for her and told everyone the truth. It was one of the most terrifying experiences of his entire life (and he'd had a few of those) but after the first time he'd said it aloud, it got a little bit easier to talk about. Obviously telling his parents was hardly a walk in the park and even to this day Chris still felt some tension in his family home, so as he strolled past the school Chris started to question whether or not they had actually dealt with it properly over four years later. Perhaps, in that case, having some space from his parents might be a good thing so that they could all have some time away from each other in order to consider about how they really felt about everything.

xxx

Chris had to pause outside Fitzgerald Motors to reflect on his apprenticeship. He remembered asking Lucas if he could do work experience with him, mainly because he had been at a loss as to what else he could do. It wasn't a case of having poor grades (because his grades were decent overall), but it was because none of his subjects really inspired him in his search for a career. However, once he had settled into the routine at the garage, Chris realised that this was a real possibility as a full-time job, though his dad never really agreed. Having to choose between basketball and being a mechanic was one of the hardest decisions he'd ever had to make (apart from whether or not to have a baby with Lucy) but in spite of how things turned out in the end, he knew he'd made the right decision.

Chris swallowed his desolation at how his injuries from the coward-punch had led to him having to give up his apprenticeship only weeks before his final tests. He knew that he wouldn't have been ready in time and it was infuriating that he wasn't able to do things that he used to find easy so quitting was the only realistic option, but he still felt bitter about it. Despite knowing that he'd made the right decision to quit, a part of him wished that he had tried harder on that last day instead of giving up halfway through, even if just to make the most of his last day (since he hadn't known that it was his last day back then). Chris gazed around the place, thinking back over the past three and a half years that he had spent there. He remembered some of the strange things that had happened there like being bashed by the assailant that Peter Noonan had sent and his downward spiral towards the end of 2013 that had put his job in jeopardy. Most importantly, Chris remembered the friendships he had formed with Lucas, Kyle, Mark and Danni, and he knew that no matter where he was, those connections would always be there.

xxx

Eventually Chris made his way back to number 26. He had spent the last few years calling it his 'home', but now that he was in the process of making an important decision about his future, he wasn't sure if it still was his home. As Chris approached the driveway he recalled meeting Kyle there towards the end of 2012 so that he could try to convince him to let him move in, using his mum's Moussaka. He remembered initially being offended by Kyle refusing to let him move in and assuming that he was being homophobic when he wasn't. Chris was glad that Kyle had cleared up that misunderstanding because not only did it mean that he had a place to live, but it meant that he would end up forming one of the best friendships he'd ever had. Kyle proved to be exactly what Chris needed; they were like chalk and cheese but had plenty in common so that they never ran out of conversation topics, and Kyle had unwittingly made Chris more easy-going whilst Chris had been the voice of reason to stop Kyle from doing stupid things (most of the time).

They'd had a lot of drama and fun whilst living together such as the first Christmas at the share-house, the situation with Scotty and Chris helping Kyle whilst he was blind. As Chris entered the house he remembered helping Sheila to move the furniture in order to help Kyle move around more easily, forgetting the fact that Kyle wouldn't know where everything was once he had returned home and making it more difficult for him to get around. Chris didn't want to consider the idea of not seeing Kyle, Georgia, Sheila and Naomi every day because they had become a second family to him. They had all been there for him at some point or another and he loved them all as if they were his actual family, so leaving them was something that Chris didn't want to think about.

xxx

As Chris strolled through Lassiter's park, he was taken back to a couple of different events that he had experienced over the past few years. The first one that sprung to mind was the Australia Day barbeque in 2012 when Tash tricked Chris into boycotting their plans of playing tennis in the city in favour of spending the day at the park, where she'd arranged for them to meet Aidan. Chris remembered being practically forced to join Aidan to get some more food and trying to make conversation whilst feeling extremely awkward about turning down Aidan's offer of a drink the day before. The lunch itself wasn't as traumatising as he had expected it to be, but later at Charlie's the event took a turn for the worse when Chris accidentally hit Aidan in the face with the pool cue, which led to Aidan arranging a date with the barman who had come to his rescue. Back then, Chris couldn't figure out why he'd let that opportunity with Aidan slip through his fingers. It had always occurred to him that having a boyfriend might cause more problems between him and his dad (which it eventually did), but Chris had also been unnerved by the realisation that having a boyfriend would mean actually acting on his sexuality, which he had never done before that point. Fortunately, he had managed to overcome that hurdle soon enough, but unfortunately the problems with his dad was ultimately what came between them.

Another important memory that returned to Chris was his first date with Nate. He couldn't remember why he had suggested having a picnic breakfast date or where he had gotten the idea from in the first place, but it had worked. In his nervousness, Chris had invited Kyle, Georgia, Mark and Paige to join them, fearing that if he and Nate were alone, he would unintentionally say stupid things and frighten Nate off. He had been proven right considering that he didn't make a fool out of himself. Though, in retrospect, that date didn't end very well when Nate attacked the drunken yob before rushing off. Back then, Chris didn't realise that the date was just the beginning of a life-changing adventure, and now here he was at the end of it. That thought made Chris realise that this was the end of one chapter in his life, so perhaps moving to New York would mark the start of a new chapter. Chris smiled to himself as he continued down the path to the hotel.

xxx

As Chris entered the towering building and nodded towards the members of staff in reception, he couldn't help feeling slightly smug that he was the trainee manager of the place. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined that he would be working in a hotel, let alone having so much authority. He had been devastated to leave his old job, considering that being a mechanic was the only thing he'd ever wanted to do professionally, and he'd never considered working at Lassiter's or any hotel for that matter. Initially, Chris hadn't wanted to take the job, assuming that Terese had only offered it to him out of pity because her son was the person responsible for Chris being unemployed. But after Nate pointed out that it would be an opportunity to design a whole new future for himself, Chris had reconsidered. He realised now that Nate had been right: working at Lassiter's had changed him and opened up new opportunities that he wouldn't have had otherwise, and now he had a whole new future to look forward to.

Working at Lassiter's had also helped to strengthen his friendship with Lucy because they shared the experience of working in a hotel. Obviously Lucy's role was more significant than his, but they could still share their experiences of the highs and lows of the business. Remembering Lucy telling him that he could continue his training in New York reassured Chris about starting afresh in a new country, and he knew that this was the most reliable job that he could have with a baby on the way. Chris never expected to form such a strong friendship with Paul's sister (considering his own strange relationship with him), but their shared interests and humour meant that being friends and having a child together didn't feel forced, even if the situation was a bit strange. The thought of being around full-time to raise his child gave Chris a warm feeling and he couldn't stop himself from smiling at the future that he could have if he took the chance that was being offered to him.

With that in mind, Chris grabbed his mobile phone and called Lucy to tell her his decision. Considering all of the memories that he had been reflecting on during the day; the faces of the people that he would never forget, the dramas and heartbreaks that he'd experienced over the years, Chris had finally decided to go with Lucy to New York and leave his past in the past.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, and thanks 'aphass' for the prompt! I hope this is close to what you were hoping for. I'm not that skilled at writing one-shots without dialogue, especially when there's a mixture of continuity references and using my own imagination to fill in the gaps, so apologies for taking so long._

_This question is directed towards 'Tori', who commented on chapter 32: I was considering doing a chapter where Chris reacts to the hotel explosion, so would it be ok if I intertwined those ideas and had Chris return in the aftermath and run into Nate and Aaron instead (and should Chris still be in a relationship or single)?_

_Anyway, if anyone has any ideas for one-shots, then please let me know. In the meantime, reviews are always welcome!_


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